April 2008 DecisionMaker Poll

METHODOLOGY: Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Va., conducted the poll on April 9-10 with 800 registered voters, who voted in the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general election or were newly registered voters since 2006. The voters were interviewed using live callers. The poll has a margin of error of +-3.7 percent.

1. Affiliation
   • 55.4%
     Democrat
   • 31.9%
     Republican
   • 12.8%
     Unaffiliated
2. Do you feel things in North Carolina are generally headed in the right direction or have gotten off on the wrong track?
   • 34.4%
     Right Direction
   • 50.6%
     Wrong Track
   • 15%
     Don't Know/Refused
3. Which of the following issues or programs needs the most attention from state government:
   • 19.1%
     Lower healthcare costs
   • 18.6%
     Improve Public Education
   • 23.3%
     Create jobs/improve economy
   • 11.5%
     Hold Down Taxes
   • 3.9%
     Improve roads/highways
   • 5.9%
     Government corruption
   • 14.4%
     Control immigration
   • 3.4%
     Don't Know/Refused
4. If the election for state legislature were held today, would you be voting:
   • 45.3%
     Democratic
   • 32%
     Republican
   • 3.8%
     Neither
   • 19%
     Don't Know/Refused
5. Thinking about national issues, do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?
   • 15%
     Strongly Approve
   • 22.5%
     Somewhat Approve
   • 15.4%
     Sonewhat disapprove
   • 42.5%
     Strongly Disapprove
   • 4.6%
     Don't Know/Refused
6. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Congress is doing?
   • 1.9%
     Strongly Approve
   • 19.4%
     Somewhat Approve
   • 30.4%
     Somewhat Disapprove
   • 38.4%
     Strongly Disapprove
   • 10%
     Don't Know/Refused
7. If you were to vote in the May primary election for president and/or governor, would you be voting in the Democratic or Republican primaries?Asked of Independents
   • 34.3%
     Democratic
   • 40.2%
     Republican
   • 25.5%
     Don't Know/Refused
8. If the Democratic primary election for president were held today, which of the following Democrats would you vote for:Asked of Democratic primary voters
   • 27.4%
     Hillary Clinton
   • 44.6%
     Barack Obama
   • 28%
     Don't Know/Refused
9. If the election for president were held today and the candidates were Hillary Clinton and John McCain, for whom would you be voting?
   • 39.3%
     Hillary Clinton
   • 47.3%
     John McCain
   • 13.5%
     Don't Know/Refused
10. If the election for president were held today and the candidates were Barack Obama and John McCain, for whom would you be voting?
    • 40.8%
      Barack Obama
    • 45.9%
      John McCain
    • 13.4%
      Don't Know/Refused
11. Turning your attention to state issues, if the Democratic primary for governor were held today, would you be voting for:Asked of Democratic primary voters
    • 36.6%
      Richard Moore
    • 35.6%
      Beverly Perdue
    • 27.8%
      Don't Know/Refused
12. Turning your attention to state issues, if the Republican primary for governor were held today, would you be voting for:Asked of Republican primary voters
    • 28%
      Pat McCrory
    • 18.6%
      Fred Smith
    • 4.4%
      Bob Orr
    • 4.7%
      Bill Graham
    • 44.3%
      Don't Know/Refused
13. When you think about the economy, which of the following is your biggest concern?
    • 23.4%
      Lack of jobs
    • 6.8%
      Food prices
    • 43.9%
      High fuel costs
    • 17.5%
      High taxes
    • 4.4%
      Fear of home foreclosure
    • 4.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
14. To help the economy, is it more important to:
    • 71.1%
      Cut taxes
    • 14.4%
      Increase state spending
    • 14.5%
      Don't Know/Refused
15. Do you think the financial outlook for you and your family will be better, worse, or about the same one year from now?
    • 28.1%
      Better
    • 19%
      Worse
    • 46.4%
      About the same
    • 6.5%
      Don't Know/Refused
16. Do you believe taxes in North Carolina are too high, too low, or just about right for the services you receive?
    • 65.5%
      Too High
    • 2.5%
      Too Low
    • 28.9%
      About Right
    • 3.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
17. This November, many North Carolina counties will place a referendum on the ballot increasing to county sales tax by 1/4 cent. Regardless of the proposed use of this tax increase, will you support or oppose it?
    • 22.9%
      Support
    • 68.4%
      Oppose
    • 8.8%
      Don't Know/Refused
18. A North Carolina county is spending $100,000 of taxpayer dollars to promote a referendum increasing the land transfer tax. Do you support or oppose this type of expenditure?
    • 7.3%
      Support
    • 76.3%
      Oppose
    • 16.5%
      Don't Know/Refused
19. On the issue of immigration, do you think businesses should be required by law to verify the legal status of anyone they employ?
    • 90.9%
      Yes
    • 5%
      No
    • 4.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
20. Do you support giving law enforcement officers the technology needed to confirm the identity and legal status of a driver who does not possess a valid drivers license?
    • 90.8%
      Yes
    • 5.5%
      No
    • 3.8%
      Don't Know/Refused
21. Do you support a mandatory 25-year prison sentence for a person convicted of molesting a child?
    • 82.5%
      Yes
    • 10%
      No
    • 7.5%
      Don't Know/Refused
22. Do you support the death penalty in North Carolina?
    • 58.9%
      Yes
    • 28.5%
      No
    • 12.6%
      Don't Know/Refused
23. If a woman is carrying a viable fetus and she is murdered, should there be one or two murder charges?
    • 11.9%
      One
    • 81%
      Two
    • 7.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
24. Which of the following is the most important issue facing transportation in North Carolina today?
    • 63.1%
      Gas prices
    • 11%
      Public transportation
    • 12.9%
      Road conditions/quality
    • 10.9%
      Traffic congestion
    • 2.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
25. Would you support or oppose increasing taxes $150 million a year to create a $2 billion fund for the purpose of building light rail and other mass transit projects in Charlotte and the Triangle?
    • 28.4%
      Support
    • 59.6%
      Oppose
    • 12%
      Don't Know/Refused
26. If a $2 billion transportation bond for bridge repair and road construction were on the November ballot, would you vote for or against it?
    • 55.3%
      For
    • 33.9%
      Against
    • 10.9%
      Don't Know/Refused
27. Do you think funds used for transportation should be part of the general fund like all other state programs, or be kept in a separate fund?
    • 25.5%
      Part of the general fund
    • 55.1%
      Kept in a separate fund
    • 19.4%
      Don't Know/Refused
28. Which of the following is the best way to finance new transportation projects in the state?
    • 4.4%
      Raise taxes/capital costs
    • 21%
      Companies pay costs/tolls
    • 31.1%
      Change distribution
    • 25.3%
      Issue highway bonds
    • 18.3%
      Don't Know/Refused
29. To make government more transparent or open to the public, would you support or oppose each of the following: Prohibiting state and local government officials from deleting all emails from government computers?
    • 50.6%
      Support
    • 34.6%
      Oppose
    • 14.8%
      Don't Know/Refused
30. Requiring all state and local governments to make budgets readily available and searchable by the public on the internet?
    • 78.1%
      Support
    • 12.5%
      Oppose
    • 9.4%
      Don't Know/Refused
31. Requiring state and local governments to place all contracts on websites that are accessible to the public?
    • 78.8%
      Support
    • 12.6%
      Oppose
    • 8.6%
      Don't Know/Refused
32. Age group:
    • 7.8%
      18-34
    • 11.6%
      35-44
    • 17.3%
      45-54
    • 24.1%
      55-64
    • 38.8%
      65+
    • 0.5%
      Don't Know/Refused
33. Political philosophy
    • 6.8%
      Very Liberal
    • 12.8%
      Somewhat Liberal
    • 22.8%
      Somewhat Conservative
    • 20.1%
      Very Conservative
    • 34.6%
      Moderate
    • 3%
      Don't Know/Refused
34. Regardless of your party registration, do you:
    • 17.3%
      Always Vote Democrat
    • 25.5%
      Vote Dem more than Rep
    • 24%
      Vote Rep more than Dem
    • 9.1%
      Always Vote Republican
    • 19%
      Both equally/split ticket
    • 5.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
35. Education
    • 5.8%
      Less than HS Graduate
    • 28%
      High School Graduate
    • 28.5%
      2 yr. college/technical
    • 23.1%
      4 yr. College Graduate
    • 13.9%
      Post-Graduate
    • 0.8%
      Don't Know/Refused
36. In your current employment status, are you:
    • 11.6%
      Self-Employed
    • 24.5%
      Working for a Private Company
    • 9.5%
      Work for Government
    • 8.9%
      Spouse (housewife)
    • 41%
      Retired
    • 3%
      Unemployed
    • 1.5%
      Don't Know/Refused
37. National heritage
    • 76.5%
      Caucasian
    • 17.6%
      African-American
    • 0.8%
      Hispanic
    • 1.5%
      Native American
    • 0.1%
      Asian
    • 2.4%
      Other
    • 1.1%
      Don't Know/Refused
38. Would you tell me what is your religious affiliation?
    • 32.1%
      Protestant
    • 13.5%
      Evangelical Christian
    • 10%
      Catholic
    • 27.3%
      Baptist
    • 0.8%
      Jewish
    • 0.1%
      Muslim
    • 12.6%
      Something else
    • 3.6%
      Don't Know/Refused
39. Gender
    • 47.5%
      Male
    • 52.5%
      Female
40. Geographic Area
    • 19.5%
      Charlotte
    • 12.5%
      Western
    • 20.6%
      Piedmont Triad
    • 21.1%
      Triangle
    • 12.5%
      Northeast
    • 13.8%
      Southeast
41. Voting history
    • 6%
      New
    • 16.9%
      One of Three
    • 23.5%
      Two of Three
    • 53.6%
      Three of Three