PAAIA Unveils 2024 National Public Opinion Survey of Iranian Americans
Findings highlight the views and concerns of the Iranian American community on critical issues, including the 2024 presidential election, the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran, and more.
The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization serving the interests of the Iranian American community, today released the findings of its 2024 National Public Opinion Survey. The survey was conducted from August 5th to 13th of this year and is based on a representative sample of 404 Iranian Americans with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. This year’s survey captures the Iranian American community’s views on critical issues including the 2024 presidential election, the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement in Iran, and more.
Key Findings from the 2024 National Public Opinion Survey:
- The 2024 Presidential Race: Iranian Americans are nearly evenly divided in their presidential preferences. Vice President Kamala Harris leads slightly, with 45% indicating they would vote for her, compared to 41% supporting former President Donald Trump. This close contest marks a significant shift from 2020, when now-President Biden enjoyed a 25-point lead.
- Top Issues for Iranian American Voters: As we approach the 2024 election, U.S.-Iran relations remain the top priority for our community, with 55% of respondents citing it as the most important issue. Other top concerns include inflation and the cost of living (40%) and the economy and jobs (39%). The next tier of key issues includes the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza (22%), health care (21%), and immigration (19%).
- Support for the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement: Two years after the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, an overwhelming 88% of respondents believe that the Woman, Life, Freedom movement will have a positive impact on Iran’s socio-political evolution. More than half (51%) strongly agree with this sentiment. When asked about the U.S. government’s role in supporting this movement, the majority of Iranian Americans express clear preferences. More than a third (38%) of respondents advocate for expanded U.S. funding to support internet access in Iran, while 34% support increased sanctions on human rights violators.
- Temporary Family Visitation Act (TFVA): Reflecting the ongoing challenges of connecting with family members in Iran, 42% of respondents identified easing immigration and tourist visa processes as a top priority. This aligns with PAAIA’s advocacy for the Temporary Family Visitation Act, which aims to make it easier for Iranian Americans to reunite with their relatives temporarily in the U.S for visits. The survey found that 83% of respondents support TFVA.
- What Matters Most to the Iranian American Community: Beyond the upcoming election, Iranian Americans are passionate about influencing U.S. policy toward Iran. Forty-four percent of respondents (44%) said that shaping U.S. policy is among the most important challenges facing our community. Additionally, 42% of respondents want to see progress in easing immigration and tourist visa processes for family members in Iran.
The 2024 National Public Opinion Survey was conducted by Zogby Research Services for PAAIA and utilized a hybrid method of online and live operator telephone surveys. Weighting techniques were used to best represent the demographics of the Iranian American community, and the margin of error for the survey was +/- 4.9 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95%.
