In Wisconsin, midterms put older voters in focus

With older voters expected to have a big effect on the midterm elections, their allies in Wisconsin said lawmakers should pay attention to the most pressing issues facing voters 50 and older.

Wisconsin residents ages 45-64 made up the largest percentage of voters in 2024, followed by those older than 65. Affordability tops the list of concerns, along with retirement security and caregiving support for older residents, according to AARP Wisconsin.

Raj Shukla, state director of AARP Wisconsin, said the group’s 750,000+ members want people in power to put words into action regarding these quality-of-life issues.

"The issues that older voters care about are issues that all of us care about and taking action on these issues protects everyone, not just people 50 and over," Shukla explained.

He pointed out older Wisconsinites are also increasingly targeted by sophisticated fraud, an issue he argued affects people of every age and noted retirement costs are a major concern, including the future of Social Security, as one in three private-sector workers in Wisconsin do not have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

His group called on lawmakers to expand private retirement savings options to include "Work and Save" programs, which allow workers to automatically put part of their paychecks into retirement accounts.

"We are seeing conversations around Social Security and the prospect of scaling back that program and that's just unacceptable for people who are at their very edge right now in being able to afford their way of life," Shukla emphasized.

New U.S. Census data show Americans older than 65 experienced the highest poverty spike between 2020 and 2025. More than 15% of older Americans are currently living in poverty.

Shukla stressed caregiving is also a top priority, as caregivers spend about $7,000 a year out of pocket. He is calling on the state to consider tax relief and other support to curb the added expenses and to exempt caregivers from Medicaid work requirements.

Judith Ruiz-Branch wrote this story for Wisconsin News Connection, a member of Public News Service.