View full poll results (PDF) | View poll crosstabs (PDF)

For immediate release.
Mar. 3, 2011
Contact:

Bryan Warner, N.C. Center for Voter Education, 877-258-6837
Charles Hall, Justice at Stake Campaign, 202-588-9454

N.C. Voters: Country On Wrong Track

RALEIGH – More than six in 10 North Carolina voters say the country is on the wrong track, according to a poll exploring attitudes on money, courts and politics, commissioned by the Justice at Stake Campaign and the N.C. Center for Voter Education.

That feeling is especially prominent among Republicans and independents, with 88 percent and 62 percent, respectively, saying the country is moving in the wrong direction. Just 35 percent of Democratic voters believe the country is on the wrong track.

Voters are evenly split on their feelings about the outcome of the 2010 legislative and congressional elections, with 46 percent satisfied with the results and 46 percent dissatisfied.

Not surprisingly, party affiliation greatly influences voter attitudes about last year’s election outcomes, with 82 percent of Democrats not satisfied and 83 percent of Republicans satisfied with November’s results. Among independent voters, 44 percent are satisfied and 42 percent are dissatisfied.

Looking ahead to potential 2012 match ups, the poll finds that voters favor Democratic President Barack Obama over Republican Sarah Palin, 47-45 percent. Republican Mitt Romney fares better, leading Obama 49-43 percent.

In a hypothetical gubernatorial rematch from 2008, Republican Pat McCrory leads Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue 51-38 percent. Among the key demographic of independent voters, McCrory leads 47-30 percent.

Likely Republican presidential primary voters are yet to throw their support behind a clear favorite, with 19 percent supporting Palin, 15 percent supporting Mike Huckabee and 13 percent supporting Romney. Twenty-eight percent say they are unsure of which candidate will get their vote.

These questions were part of a poll examining voter attitudes about the influence of political money on North Carolina’s courts. Released last week, those results found that 94 percent of state voters believe campaign contributions have some sway on a judge’s decision, including 43 percent who say campaign donations can greatly affect a ruling.

The poll also shows that when it comes to North Carolina’s first-in-the-nation system of public financing for judicial elections, 49 percent of voters say they would be less likely to support a legislative candidate who wants to eliminate the program. Only 20 percent of voters say they would be more likely to favor a candidate who sought to end the program.

Conducted Feb. 8-10 by 20/20 Insight Polling, the statewide poll of 600 registered North Carolina voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.  Questions asked of 229 likely 2012 Republican primary voters have a margin of error of plus or minus 6.5 percent.

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Justice at Stake is a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan campaign with more than 50 national partners, working to keep state and federal courts fair and impartial.

The N.C. Center for Voter Education is a Raleigh-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, dedicated to helping citizens fully participate in democracy.

Online:

http://www.JusticeAtStake.org

http://www.NCVoterEd.org

Poll questions:

Q. Now thinking about the direction of things in this country, would you say this country is headed in the right direction, or has this country gotten off on the wrong track?

Right: 29 percent
Wrong: 62 percent
Not sure: 9 percent

Q. And what about the results of the election in November that gave control of Congress to the Republicans and here in North Carolina the state legislature, would you say you are satisfied with the results of the election or not?

Satisfied: 46 percent
Not satisfied: 46 percent
Not sure: 8 percent

Q. Now, just for fun let's think ahead to the presidential election coming up in 2012, what if the candidates are [ROTATE LIST]. If the election were today, and you have made up your mind and you are certain to support...You say you haven't made up your mind, what if the election were tomorrow are you leaning towards one candidate or are you completely undecided at this point?

Barack Obama: 47 percent
Sarah Palin: 45 percent
Undecided: 8 percent

Barack Obama: 43 percent
Mitt Romney: 49 percent
Undecided: 8 percent

Q. Governor trial heat

Bev Perdue: 38 percent
Pat McCrory: 51 percent
Undecided: 11 percent

Q. [For likely Republican primary voters] Who are you planning to support in the Republican primary?

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour: 2 percent
Conservative Talk Radio Host Herman Cain: 4 percent
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels: 2 percent
Fmr. House Speaker Newt Gingrich: 10 percent
Fmr. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee: 15 percent
Fmr. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin: 19 percent
Fmr. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty: 4 percent
Fmr. Mass. Governor Mitt Romney: 13 percent
Some other candidate: 3 percent
Not certain at this time: 28 percent