May 2008 DecisionMaker Poll
Civitas Staff | May 28, 2008
METHODOLOGY: Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Va., conducted the poll on May 14-17 with live telephone interviews of 800 registered voters, who voted in the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general elections, or have registered
since 2006. It has a margin of error of +-3.7 percent.
1. Do you feel things in North Carolina are generally headed in the right direction or have gotten off on the wrong track?
Right direction 39%
Wrong track 45%
Not sure 15%
2. What specific issue in North Carolina needs the most attention from state government?
Improve public education 21%
Improve the economy 11%
Create and save jobs 10%
Cut taxes in general 9%
Lower healthcare costs 8%
Improve roads/highways 7%
Illegal immigration 5%
Gas prices 5%
Reduce spending 3%
Cut property taxes 2%
Stop crime/gangs 2%
Slow down growth/develop 2%
Stop state govt. corruption 2%
State employee pay 1%
Protect environment 0%
Senior citizen issues 0%
Budget/spending 0%
Water issue 0%
Other 5%
Not sure 7%
3. If the election for state legislature were held today, would you be voting:
Democrat 47%
Republican 33%
Neither 3%
Not sure 17%
4. If the election for president were held today, would you be voting for:
Democrat Barack Obama 39%
Republican John McCain 44%
Not sure 18%
5. If the election for U.S. Senate were held today, would you be voting for:
Democrat Kay Hagan 43%
Republican Elizabeth Dole 45%
Not sure 12%
6. If the election for governor were held today, would you be voting for:
Democrat Bev Perdue 43%
Republican Pat McCrory 42%
Not sure 15%
7. If the election for lieutenant governor were held today, would you be voting for:
Democrat Walter Dalton 42%
Republican Robert Pittenger 30%
Not sure 29%
8. Should candidates for office be held responsible for the views of people they associate with?
Yes 45%
No 43%
Not sure 12%
9. Do you think Barack Obama shares some of the controversial views held by Reverend Wright?
Strongly yes 18%
Yes 20%
No 26%
Strongly no 18%
Not sure 17%
10. Have you seen or heard anything about a Republican-sponsored ad tying Reverend Wright and Barack Obama to the Democrat candidates for North Carolina governor?
Yes 25%
No 73%
Not sure 2%
11. Do you support a proposed gas tax holiday over the summer months or believe these funds should be kept for road construction and maintenance in North Carolina?
Gas holiday 28%
Kept for construction 60%
Not sure 12%
12. Do you support North Carolina sharing information with other states to help verify the identity of a person applying for a state driver’s license or identification card?
Yes 88%
No 7%
Not sure 5%
13. Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to require voters to show a government issued ID before they can vote?
Yes 77%
No 17%
Not sure 6%
14. Should the North Carolina General Assembly be allowed to borrow money without voter approval?
Yes 14%
No 77%
Not sure 10%
15. Do you think public schools in North Carolina should implement an anti-bullying policy that requires students be taught that homosexuality, bisexuality, cross-dressing and other behaviors are normal and acceptable?
Yes 24%
No 66%
Not sure 10%
16. Do you think public schools in North Carolina should continue to teach students that they should wait until they are married to engage in sexual activities or should they begin instructing students in middle school on how to have safe sex?
Wait until married 47%
Safe sex 41%
Not sure 12%
17. Do you think illegal immigration is a burden or benefit to our state?
Benefit 11%
Burden 79%
Not sure 11%
18. The state attorney general has ruled that it is against the law to allow illegal immigrants to enroll in North Carolina community colleges and universities. The governor disagrees and says they should be allowed to enroll. Who do you agree with?
Attorney general 68%
Governor 24%
Not sure 8%
19. Presently under North Carolina tax laws, individuals are pushed into higher income tax brackets even if their incomes only rise at the rate of inflation. In other words, they are taxed at a higher rate even though their buying power is the same. Do you support a law that would prevent this from happening even if it may result in a slower growth of tax dollars going to state government?
Yes 66%
No 22%
Not sure 13%
20. Should state employee and teachers’ unions be allowed to engage in collective bargaining with elected officials they might endorse in elections?
Yes 30%
No 56%
Not sure 14%
21. Do you think the average elected official in North Carolina is ethical and honest or tends to be unethical and dishonest?
Ethical/honest 44%
Unethical/dishonest 40%
Not sure 17%
22. If Governor Easley uses state aircraft instead of a car to travel to his homes on the coast, should he reimburse the taxpayers for the difference in the higher cost of using the aircraft?
Yes 82%
No 13%
Not sure 5%
23. Do you support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman?
Yes 71%
No 26%
Not sure 3%
24. Do you support or oppose oil and gas exploration off the coast of North Carolina?
Support 68%
Oppose 20%
Not sure 11%
25. Do you support or oppose allowing 500-foot tall wind turbines to be constructed along our coast and mountain ridges?
Support 63%
Oppose 18%
Not sure 18%
26. Political philosophy
Very liberal 8%
Somewhat liberal 13%
Somewhat conservative 25%
Very conservative 20%
Moderate 32%
27. Thinking about fiscal issues, do you consider yourself to be:
Very liberal 7%
Somewhat liberal 22%
Somewhat conservative 39%
Very conservative 20%
Moderate 8%
Not sure 4%
28. Regardless of your party registration, do you:
Always vote Democrat 16%
Vote Democrat more than Republican 28%
Vote Republican more than Democrat 27%
Always vote Republican 7%
Both equally/split ticket 21%
Not sure 1%
29. Age group
18-25 5%
26-40 15%
41-55 30%
56-65 20%
66+ 29%
30. Education
Less than high school graduate 6%
High school graduate 25%
2-yr college/technical 23%
4-yr college graduate 30%
Post graduate 16%
31. In your current employment status, are you:
Self-employed 10%
Working for a private co. 30%
Work for government 13%
Spouse (housewife) 7%
Retired 36%
Unemployed 3%
32. National heritage
Caucasian 79%
African-American 17%
Hispanic 0%
Native American 2%
Asian 0%
Other 2%
33. Affiliation
Democrat 48%
Republican 36%
Unaffiliated 16%
34. Gender
Male 45%
Female 55%
35. Geographic area
Charlotte 19%
Western 14%
Piedmont Triad 21%
Triangle 20%
Northeast 12%
Southeast 13%
