BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Financial frustration could send some Kern County voters to the ballot box and leave others sitting out the midterm election, according to a California State University, Bakersfield political science professor.
Dr. Ivy AM Cargile said concerns about everyday expenses can influence both which candidates people support and whether they participate at all. Some voters want to give the president’s party more time to address those concerns, while others see their financial situation as a reason to elect different leaders.
PERRY, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 24: U.S. President Donald Trump and Georgia Republican Senate candidate, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) shake hands during a midterm campaign rally at the Guardian Centers on October 24, 2026 in Perry, Georgia. Trump is speaking at a rally in support of Georgia Republican Senate candidate, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), who is trying to unseat the incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The distinction matters for campaigns entering the final days before Election Day. Cargile said their attention is increasingly on getting existing supporters to cast their ballots.
“Campaigns are looking to their supporters are looking to their base to get them out if they haven’t already voted early,” she said.
Affordability has also been a recurring concern in the Dolores Huerta Foundation’s conversations with Kern County voters, according to deputy director Fabiola DeCaratachea.
A sticker placed by an unidentified person depicting President Donald Trump and reading “I DID THAT!” is affixed beside gasoline and diesel prices at a gas station in Newtown, Pa., Sept. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, file)
In an interview Monday, before Huerta’s death Wednesday, DeCaratachea described what the organization was hearing during its outreach.
“I think they have a lot of the same concerns that everybody else in the state has, just about affordability, gas prices, putting food on their table, et cetera,” she said.
Cargile said voters may use those personal experiences to assess the performance of elected officials.
“And so I think that for those voters who are, you know, they’re going to they’re taking their pocketbook with them to they’re taking their wallets and their bank statements to the polls with them,” she said.
But dissatisfaction does not guarantee participation. A voter who dislikes their party’s candidate may also be unwilling to support the opposing party, Cargile said, leaving them without a choice they want to make.
BELOIT, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 20: A resident votes during In-Person Absentee Voting (early voting) on October 20, 2026 in Beloit, Wisconsin. Today is the first day of early voting in the state. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
For others, anger can become a powerful incentive to participate. Illustrating how a frustrated voter might think, Cargile said.
“No, it’s enthusiasm because of anger. It’s enthusiasm because I’m frustrated. Right. And so for sure I’m going to show up to vote because I don’t want things to continue the way that they are.”
That means enthusiasm heading into an election can reflect a desire for change as well as satisfaction with the current direction, she said.