The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA) today released new findings from a Maryland statewide poll conducted by Gonzales Research & Media Services that show voters are increasingly focused on rising energy costs and strongly support policies that preserve retail energy competition and consumer choice in the market.
The poll, conducted among 808 registered Maryland voters between December 21, 2025, and January 6, 2026, finds Maryland voters express overwhelming support for competitive energy markets. More than three-quarters (77%) of Marylanders agree that the state should allow true competition in retail energy. The survey also confirms that legislators who oppose energy choice face political consequences: nearly half of voters (48%) say they are less likely to support a candidate who opposes consumer choice in energy, while just 17% say they are more likely to support such a candidate.
“Three out of four Marylanders want a choice when it comes to their energy supplier and their energy products and services, including clean energy,” said Maurice Simpson, Maryland state chair of lobbying for RESA. “The data in this third-party poll should be a wake-up call for Maryland state legislators. Their constituents are clear that they want an alternative to the standard utility rates that are currently the only option they have. Their representatives should vote on legislation based on what the people they represent want.”
Marylanders place a high value on competition across everyday services, with nearly nine in ten respondents saying it is important to have multiple companies to choose from for services such as cell phone, internet, or television. Two-thirds (66%) say having choices is very important, and 21% call it somewhat important, underscoring broad expectations that competition leads to better outcomes for consumers.
That expectation carries over into home energy service. Marylanders are nearly split on their satisfaction with the cost and quality of their electricity or natural gas service, with 53% satisfied and 46% dissatisfied. Beneath that narrow margin, intensity tells a sharper story: those who say they are very dissatisfied (31%) outnumber those who are very satisfied (21%) by ten points, suggesting growing frustration among a substantial segment of residents who feel their utility bills or service reliability are pushing the limits of patience.
Rising energy bills are a central driver of that dissatisfaction. In fact, 73% of Marylanders report that their electric or natural gas bills have increased over the past year, 24% say it has stayed the same, and only 3% say their bills have decreased. Among those experiencing increases in their monthly bill, 59% describe the jump as significant. Among Marylanders who’ve experienced an increase, 67% say they’re very concerned about rising monthly costs, 25% report they are somewhat concerned and only 8% say they are not concerned at all. This highlights the intensity of voter anxiety around household energy expenses.
The poll also reveals confusion about what is driving higher bills. While many voters are familiar with electric and natural gas transmission and distribution infrastructure, nearly half are unsure whether rising costs are due to the supply portion or the poles-and-wires portion of the bill. Two-thirds of voters say they’re either very familiar (26%) or somewhat familiar (42%) with the term “electric and natural gas transmission and distribution.” The remainder was split between having heard the term but not understood it (13%) and not knowing it at all (20%).
The most surprising finding from the poll is that 38% of Marylanders say they would consider leaving the state if energy bills and other costs continue to rise, a striking signal that affordability challenges are shaping how residents view their long-term future in the state.
“These findings show Marylanders want real options and real control when it comes to their energy bills,” said Tracy McCormick, executive director of RESA. “Competition gives consumers the ability to choose energy plans that fit their needs and budgets, and this poll makes clear that Maryland voters expect policymakers to protect that choice, especially as costs continue to rise.”
Similar to choosing an Internet or mobile phone provider, consumers in some states can choose an electricity and natural gas supplier for their home or business. This choice is a significant change over traditional utility service, in which an energy consumer has no choice but to purchase from a monopoly utility provider offering few or no options in terms of energy management tools, renewable energy and efficiency, and pricing. For competition to be effective, all consumers must have the right to shop for competitively priced energy products and services, just as they do for other services.
The Gonzales Research poll was conducted via live telephone interviews and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.5%. Additional results from the Maryland statewide poll are available on RESA’s website and can be viewed here: https://www.resausa.org/resources/polls/
ABOUT RESA:
The Retail Energy Supply Association is a broad and diverse group of retail energy suppliers who share the common vision that competitive retail electricity and natural gas markets deliver a more efficient, customer-oriented outcome than a regulated utility structure. RESA is devoted to working with all stakeholders to promote vibrant and sustainable competitive retail energy markets for residential and industrial consumers. For more information, visit resausa.org. Follow RESA on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
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