The Paychex Election 2016 Small Business Survey reveals that small business owners prioritize health care (77%), government regulation (71%), and tax reform (70%) as key election issues. A majority supports increasing the federal minimum wage, with many believing it would not harm their businesses. Among candidates, Donald Trump is favored by 50% of respondents, while 40% identify as Republican and 36% as independent.

1. Small businesses, big issues:
Your concerns in the 2016
presidential election

2. The 3 issues most important
to small- business owners
in this election
1.Health care: 77%
2.Government regulation
and complexity: 71%
3.Tax reform: 70%

3. What action would you like to see the next
administration take on the Affordable Care
Act? (ACA)
health care reform
– Want the ACA repealed
– Want the ACA expanded27%
38%

4. Is government regulation and complexity
hurting your company’s profitability
and/or ability to grow?
Government Regulation
and Complexity
– Yes55%
– No34%
– Don’t Know11%

5. Which proposed changes to the U.S. tax
structure would benefit your business most?
Tax Reform
– Closing tax loopholes that benefit
the wealthy
53%
– Reducing the number of individual tax
brackets and rates to 12%, 25%, and
33%, which also would apply to busi
nesses operated on the proprietors’
personal income-tax returns as a
pass-through, and establishing a top
corporate tax rate of 15%
47%

6. Minimum Wage
Do you support increasing the federal minimum wage from
$7.25/hour?
• 64% – Yes
• 36% – No
Of those supporting a higher federal minimum wage:
26% – A minimum wage of $10/hour would not
harm their business
25% – A minimum wage of $12/hour would not
harm their business
23% – A minimum wage of $15/hour would not harm their
business
Other key issues for small businesses

7. Immigration
50%– The current U.S. immigration policy has no impact
on their companies’ profitability and/or ability to grow

8. Infrastructure
47%– The current condition of U.S. infrastructure (e.g.,
roads, bridges, broadband access) has no impact on their
business’ profitability and/or ability to grow

9. How the candidates measure up
to small-business owners
The Candidate Who Best Represents the
Interests of Small Business
50% – Donald Trump
23% – Hillary Clinton
16% – Don’t know
16%
23%
50%

10. If the Election Were Today,
Who Would Get Your Vote?
– Donald Trump
– Hillary Clinton
51%
25%

11. Who Do You Think Will Win?
39% – Hillary Clinton
32% – Donald Trump
26% – Don’t know
32%
39%
26%

12. Party Affiliation
40% – Republican
36% – Independent
21% – Democrat21%
36%
About the Survey
40%

13. Size of Business
37% – 1-19 employees
31% – 20-99 employees
32% – 100-500 employees
31%
37%
26%

14. About the Paychex Election 2016 Small Business Survey
The data included was taken from the results of the Paychex Election 2016
Small Business Survey, administered by Bredin. The survey was conducted
online between September 21, 2016 and September 26, 2016 and polled 318
principals of U.S. companies with fewer than 500 employees.