Poll: Michigan voters of all political stripes support state moving toward more clean, renewable energy

Voters want utilities to be held accountable as many face repeated outages

Lansing, Mich. – Newly released polling from Impact Research shows Michigan voters support clean energy and climate proposals similar to the ones Gov. Gretchen Whitmer outlined recently in her “What’s Next” address.

Voters across the political spectrum support policies that will protect our air and water like moving toward 100% clean energy, expanding energy efficiency and empowering the Michigan Public Service Commission with more tools to regulate utility companies.

“Voters already understand that clean energy comes with savings because the wind and sun are free,” said Brian Stryker, Managing Partner for Impact Research. “This comes as the scientific consensus on climate change is increasingly accepted. Over two-thirds of Michigan voters agree that climate change is caused at least in part by human activity, including a plurality of Republicans.”

The poll found 65% support for cutting red tape and streamlining the process for permitting renewable energy, such as wind and solar so that local communities can generate more tax revenue and provide services to residents. There is also broad support for allowing farmers to utilize their land for wind and solar projects.

Additionally, the unreliable service of the utility companies in Michigan was reflected in the polling, with 75% of voters wanting stronger penalties and accountability for power outages.

“Our research shows the governor’s message on climate and energy really strikes a chord with voters of all political stripes,” Stryker said. “Voters want utility companies held accountable, they want Michigan to expand clean renewable energy and they want local communities and farmers to take advantage of this growing industry. To protect the Great Lakes and improve public health, these proposals enjoy widespread and broad-based support across Michigan.”

Impact Research conducted a multi-modal poll of 624 likely 2024 General Election voters in Michigan with oversamples of Black voters and voters in battleground districts. The sample utilized landline, cellphone, and text-to-web interviews conducted between June 15-23, 2023. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +/- 3.9 percentage points at the 95% level of confidence.

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