Burlington, Vt – The 2024 presidential race is off and running with 15 candidates — nine Republicans, four Democrats, and two independents — hoping to convince voters they deserve to be in the White House.

President Joe Biden announced his campaign for re-election in April. Former President Donald Trump has maintained a large lead over his Republican primary rivals, despite four criminal indictments.

When it comes down to it, what are people really looking for in a candidate?

“For me, it’s someone who wants change, somebody who’s actually going to do something, not just talk about it. Also, someone who thinks about the people,” says one Burlington local.

Big issues over the last few years range from topics like climate change to student loan debt, and reproductive rights.

According to data from a new ABC News Ipsos poll, economy, education, healthcare, and inflation are currently among the top issues for the public.

However, data from the same poll finds that roughly three in ten Americans do not trust either party to do a better job than the other at handling the issues.

Some say that they’re feeling less optimistic than they did in the 2020 election. In fact, only 23% of Americans think the country is heading in a good direction, according to the ABC News Ipsos poll.