More than half of Baltimore County voters check social media apps, such as Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, for news about politics at least once per week.That’s according to a new poll from the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s (UMBC) Institute of Politics, which asked voters about their political news consumption habits, as well as their rankings of important issues, favorability of various institutions, and other topics.The pollsters asked Baltimore County voters which sources they get their political news from at least once per week; respondents could select multiple items and were asked to choose all items that applied to them.After social media (55%), cable TV channels (e.g. CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, etc.) were the political news source for the next largest group of voters (42%), followed closely at 40% by local TV channels (e.g. WBAL, WMAR, WJZ, FOX45, etc.).Meanwhile, 34% listen to radio or podcasts/digital audio; 33% said they consult newspapers (including websites or print editions); 29% talk with friends and family members; and 23% watch YouTube channels.Social media was more often cited as a source for news about politics than traditional news sources. Even given that fact, however, favorability ratings for mainstream news media were considerably low.On a scale from 0 (least favorable) to 100 (most favorable), 26% of voters ranked their feelings towards the mainstream news media as a 0. Meanwhile, 33% described their feelings in the 10-30 range; 14% fell in the 40-60 range; 8% said their feelings were 70-90; 1% ranked a full 100; and 18% refused to answer.Ranking other institutions on that same scale, voters had this to say about:The Democratic Party: 0 (17%); 10-30 (18%); 40-60 (11%); 70-90 (31%); 100 (13%); refused (11%)The Republican Party: 0 (26%); 10-30 (25%); 40-60 (12%); 70-90 (14%); 100 (10%); refused (13%).The Supreme Court of the United States: 0 (12%); 10-30 (30%); 40-60 (17%); 70-90 (16%); 100 (4%); refused (20%).Voters were asked what issues were most important when making their voting decision; respondents could select multiple items.Two-thirds of voters (67%) said abortion/bodily autonomy was among the most important issues to them. More than half of voters also highly ranked inflation/price of goods and services (58%) and honesty/trustworthiness of politicians (55%).Other issues that voters ranked as most important included taxes (48%); race issues/civil rights (46%); guns/gun control (45%); immigration (45%); crime (43%); housing prices and availability (43%); education policy (41%); foreign policy (40%); and environment/climate change (39%).A little over two-thirds (69%) of voters considered themselves to be pro-choice on the issue of abortion, one-fifth (20%) said they were pro-life, 9% said they were neither or had another stance, and 1% refused to answer.Nearly three-fifths of voters (58%) said the U.S. economy had worsened in the past year. Only 22% said the nation’s economy had improved, 19% said it had stayed the same, and 1% refused to answer.The outlook was slightly brighter for Maryland’s economy but still more than half of voters (52%) said the state’s economy had worsened. Meanwhile, 28% said it had stayed the same, 19% said it had improved, and 1% refused to answer.A plurality of voters (43%) said their primary reason for voting was to do their civic duty. Meanwhile, 36% said they were driven by their desire to support their preferred candidates, 12% wanted to oppose candidates they do not prefer, 3% said they had been encouraged by family or friends, 5% cited another reason, and 1% refused to answer.Asked whether they could trust the U.S. government to do what is right, 53% of respondents said they could some of the time, 34% said they rarely could, 8% said never, 4% said all the time, and 1% refused to answer.The poll surveyed 1,119 Baltimore County voters who cast their ballots in person during early voting and on Election Day.