NEW YORK — Emotionally wrenching politics, foreign conflicts, and shootings at home took a toll on Americans in 2016, but they are entering 2017 on an optimistic note, according to a poll.
A majority of people believe things are going to get better for the country next year, according to the Associated Press-Times Square Alliance poll.
Americans weren’t thrilled with 2016. Only 18 percent said things for the country got better, 33 percent said things got worse, and 47 percent said it was unchanged from 2015.
On a personal level, they were optimistic about 2017.
Fifty-five percent said they believe things will be better for them in the coming year than in the year that’s about to end. That’s a 12-point improvement from last year’s poll.
Americans interviewed about the poll’s results expressed some of that optimism.
‘‘Next year will be better than this year, because people will have more jobs and they’ll have more money to spend,’’ said Bourema Tamboura, a Harlem resident behind the wheel of a New York car service.
‘‘I’m hoping 2017 will be better,’’ added Elizabeth Flynn, 62, an elementary school teacher from Peabody, Mass. ‘‘You’ve got to be optimistic, and I’m going to try.’’
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say 2016 was worse for the country than 2015. And Republicans are especially likely to feel that 2017 will be even better for them personally.
University of Miami professor Benjamin Alsup said he needed only three words to explain why 2016 felt worse for him: ‘‘Trump, Trump, Trump!’’
Robert Greenstone, a New York commercial real estate broker, said the political discourse leading up to Republican Donald Trump’s election as president played havoc with people’s emotions.
‘‘The amount of disinformation made people suspect of everything and everyone, even their neighbors,’’ he said.
Organizers of the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration announced Monday that United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will push the button to begin the official 60-second countdown to 2017.
It will be Ban’s last ceremonial duty before ending his 10-year leadership of the world body. Dec. 31 will be his last day in office. Antonio Guterres, of Portugal, will take over Jan. 1.
