New York voters prioritize affordable energy and show limited support for energy and climate policies that could increase costs. The survey finds broad opposition to home-heating electrification and climate-related lawsuits against oil companies, closely divided views on Cap-and-Invest with a large share of respondents unsure, and majority support for allowing data centers if they take steps to prevent higher electricity prices.
The findings are based on a statewide survey of 600 likely 2026 general-election voters conducted by Cygnal on behalf of the Empire Center. This report presents the first release of findings from the survey.
The detailed findings follow below.
When asked to choose between lower energy prices and lower greenhouse gas emissions, 24 percent of respondents prioritize lower energy prices, 24 percent prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and 42 percent support emissions reductions only if they do not lead to higher energy prices.
Home-heating electrification is opposed by 63 percent of respondents and supported by 30 percent. Opposition exceeds support across most demographic groups, including Republicans, upstate respondents, all income groups, nearly all age groups, and voters with no party affiliation.
Opinion on Cap-and-Invest is closely divided, with roughly one in five respondents remaining unsure statewide. Support is strongest among younger adults, Democrats, and New York City residents, while Republicans, older voters, and respondents outside New York City are more likely to oppose the proposal. In some groups, the unsure share reaches nearly 30 percent.
Most respondents oppose suing energy companies over their contribution to climate change. Statewide, 60 percent oppose such lawsuits and 21 percent support them. Adults ages 18 to 39 are the only notable exception, with 48 percent supporting the policy and 41 percent opposing it.
New Yorkers want data centers to take measures to prevent energy price increases, rather than face an outright prohibition. Forty-three percent would require data centers to build their own power sources rather than draw electricity from the grid, and 16 percent would allow partial grid access if data centers invested in local grid upgrades. Only one-third of respondents would not allow data centers under any circumstances.
New Yorkers Prioritize Lower Energy Prices Over Lower Emissions
Two groups hold opposite preferences: 24 percent of respondents prioritize lower energy prices, while another 24 percent prioritize greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The largest group, 42 percent, supports emissions reductions, but only if doing so does not lead to higher energy prices.
Political affiliation is the clearest dividing line. Democratic-leaning respondents are more likely to support reducing emissions even if prices rise, while Republican-leaning respondents are more likely to prioritize lower energy costs.
The middle position dominates nearly every demographic group. Republicans and Trump voters are the exceptions, with more respondents prioritizing lower energy prices. Harris voters and adults ages 18 to 39 are the most receptive to faster emissions reductions, even if doing so leads to higher energy costs.
These findings are consistent with a 2025 Empire Center poll, which found little appetite for climate policies that increase energy prices.
New Yorkers Oppose Home-Heating Electrification
Home-heating electrification is one of the least popular energy policies tested in the survey. Statewide, 63 percent of respondents oppose the proposal, compared with 30 percent who support it.
Opposition exceeds support by a substantial margin across most demographic groups. Republicans, upstate respondents, most income groups, and nearly all age groups oppose the idea. Voters with no party affiliation oppose home-heating electrification by 66 percent to 25 percent.
Even among Democrats, Harris voters, and New York City residents, support is matched by opposition. The only group with a sizable margin of support is adults ages 18 to 39, who support the measure 51 percent to 41 percent.
Notably, the share of respondents who strongly oppose the measure is larger than the share who somewhat oppose it. Among supporters of home-heating electrification, the reverse is generally true: somewhat supportive sentiment exceeds strong support in every group except adults ages 18 to 39.
New Yorkers Are Split and Unsure on Cap-and-Invest
Opinion on New York’s proposed Cap-and-Invest program is closely divided, with a large share of respondents (20 percent) remaining unsure.
Support for cap-and-invest is strongest among younger adults, Democrats, and New York City residents. Republicans, older voters, and respondents outside New York City are more likely to oppose the proposal.
The relatively large share of unsure respondents suggests that many voters have not reached a firm conclusion. Compared with issues such as home-heating electrification, public opinion on Cap-and-Invest appears less settled, leaving room for opinion shifts as details emerge on whether, and by how much, it would increase energy prices and what energy sources and fuels the program would apply to. In some demographic groups, the unsure share approaches 30 percent.
Most New Yorkers Oppose Lawsuits Against Oil Companies for Climate-Related Damages
Most New Yorkers oppose allowing individuals to sue oil companies over their contribution to climate change. Statewide, 60 percent of respondents oppose such lawsuits, compared with 21 percent who support them. Opposition is the dominant view across nearly every demographic group, including New York City residents and Democrats.
The only notable exception is adults ages 18 to 39, where 48 percent support it and 41 percent oppose it.
Opposition is strongest among Republicans, older adults, and upstate respondents, and even among New York City residents, support is only 28 percent.
New Yorkers Prefer Data Centers Build Power or Upgrade the Grid
Most respondents (59 percent) would require data centers to take steps to ensure energy prices do not rise. The most common response, at 43 percent, is to require data centers to build their own power sources rather than draw electricity from the grid. Allowing partial grid access while investing in local grid upgrades is the preferred option for 16 percent of respondents.
One-third of respondents would not allow data centers in New York under any circumstances. This position is most common among adults ages 18 to 39, where 57 percent favor an outright prohibition.
Compared with other survey questions, views on data centers vary the least across demographic groups, suggesting that concerns about energy prices and potential solutions are broadly shared among New Yorkers.
