Small Business Owners Back McCain, Believe Republican Party Holds the Key to Solving Issues Important to Small Businesses

Glenview — September 15, 2008 — A survey conducted this month by online payroll service SurePayroll reveals that 64% of small business owners plan to vote for Republican Senator John McCain in the November presidential election.

The survey, which follows up on SurePayroll’s presidential primary survey from October 2007, finds that small business owners are most concerned with the economy and how candidates will address current economic woes. Based on the survey results, most small business owners believe the Republican Party has the solutions that will provide the most benefit to the small business community.

The Importance of the Small Business Vote

According to the August 2008 SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard, a monthly indicator that tracks the state of the small business economy, small businesses are preventing the economy from being in much worse shape. Despite many big businesses reporting financial setbacks, the report indicates that small businesses actually increased staff levels by 0.42% in August. So far this year, small business hiring is up 2.4% nationwide.

“The small business community matters to this election in a big way,” says SurePayroll President Michael Alter. “Small businesses account for more than 99 percent of U.S. businesses, supply half the country’s jobs and are the only sector contributing growth to the economy. Politicians need to pay attention to what’s important to this powerful group.”

The Issues: Economy Remains the Biggest Concern

The economy – including taxes, national debt and the budget deficit – ranked as the issue most important to small business owners as they decide how to vote in November. Approximately 60% of respondents selected the economy as the number one concern over other issues, such as healthcare, defense, Social Security/welfare, government regulation and foreign policy. This ranking of the economy as a big topic of concern is consistent with SurePayroll’s findings last October in its pre-primary survey.

While national defense/homeland security has remained the second most important issue for small business owners, energy has replaced the war in Iraq as the subject rounding out the top three.

Are Democrats Working to Reach Small Business Owners?

Last year’s survey revealed that small business owners favored Republicans, and this month’s survey shows it to an even greater extent.

The survey results suggest that the majority of small business owners do not believe Democrats have their best interests in mind. In fact, only 18% state they believe the Democratic Party is better for small business, and only 36% are planning to vote for Senator Barack Obama.

According to Alter, the Blue Party should not discount the importance of the small business vote, and will have to work hard between now and polling time if it wants to secure more business owners’ support.

“The SurePayroll ScoreCard data shows that small businesses are driving the economy, continuing to hire and making up for the shortfall of big businesses,” he says. “If the Democrats want to reach this critical group, they need to convince them they are ready to implement policies that reward and encourage entrepreneurs.”

SurePayroll Small Business Owner Survey Total Responses: 1062

Which party do you think is better for small business?   Republican 57% I don't think the party matters 25% Democratic 18% Which of these two presidential candidates do you favor right now?   Senator John McCain 64% Senator Barack Obama 36% Of the following, which issues are most important to you as it relates to electing a president?   Economy: taxes, national debt, budget deficit 1 National defense/Homeland security 2 Energy 3 Healthcare 4 War in Iraq 5 Social: abortion, guns, same-sex marriage, stem cell research 6 Government regulation: legal reform, labor issues 7 Foreign policy 8 Education 9 Immigration 10 Environment 11 Social Security/Medicare 12

About SurePayroll:

Voted Editor's Choice for best payroll service by PC Magazine, a Top 100 Product by Accounting Today and finalist in the Best Customer Care and Best Product categories of the 2008 American Business Awards, SurePayroll is America's largest full-service online payroll service and honoree of the of the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Businesses award two years in a row.

SurePayroll is passionate about small businesses and their payroll. The company is dedicated to providing an extremely friendly and simple payroll experience - at a price small business owners can afford.

In addition to its payroll and ClickFREE^TM tax file and pay service - which allows a user to complete the entire payroll process in minutes - SurePayroll offers a suite of online services designed specifically for small business, including HR and compliance resources, 401(k) retirement solutions, health insurance and workers' compensation products.

SurePayroll also offers a private-label and co-branded payroll service to accountants and banking partners to offer payroll processing to their small business clients.