Medical workers carry a patient from an ambulance to George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 27, 2020. (Photo:Xinhua)

A newly released survey found that the COVID-19 pandemic was the top concern of US voters this year.

According to the survey of more than 20,000 American voters, COVID-19 was cited as the top issue by nearly one-third of respondents nationally, and topped the list for voters in every state except for Alaska.

Other major concerns included racism, 10 percent; the economy, 8 percent; health care, 7 percent; and crime and violence, 6 percent, showed the findings, which were posted on the website of Northwestern University on Tuesday.

Breaking down voters' views by state, the researchers found significant differences in what respondents named as the most important problem after COVID-19. Majorities in 43 out of 50 states named the following three: racism in 17 states, crime and violence in 18 states, and health care in 8 states.

The researchers also found clear partisan, age and racial/ethnic differences. Democrats and independents included racism, climate change and health care in their most frequently mentioned problems. Republicans, too, cited health care in their top five, but also crime and violence, abortion and the economy.

African Americans are far more likely than other racial or ethnic groups to name racism and police brutality as the top problem for the country, while white respondents are most likely to name the economy or health care as their No. 2 problem after COVID-19, according to the survey.