June 2008 DecisionMaker Poll

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Methodology: The study of 600 registered voters was conducted June 11-13 by Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Virginia. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, respondents interviewed voted in either the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general election or were newly registered voters since 2006. The voters were interviewed using live callers.

The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that: 95% of the time, results from 600 interviews (registered voters) will be within +- 4% of the “True Values.”  “True Values” refer to the results obtained if it were possible to interview every person in North Carolina who had voted in either the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2006.

1. How likely are you to vote in the November election for president and other state offices?
   
   • 79.17%Definitely Voting
   • 17.33%Very Likely
   • 3.5%Somewhat Likely
2. Do you feel things in North Carolina are generally headed in the right direction or have gotten off on the wrong track?
   
   • 38.5%Right Direction
   • 46.17%Wrong Track
   • 15.33%Not Sure/Refused
3. What specific issue in North Carolina needs the most attention from state government?
   
   • 13.67%Lower Health Care Costs
   • 18%Improve Public Education
   • 33.67%Create jobs/improve econ
   • 10.5%Hold Down Taxes
   • 5.5%Improve roads/highways
   • 15%Illegal immigration
   • 3.67%Not Sure/Refused
4. If the election for state legislature were held today, would you be voting:
   
   • 46%Democratic
   • 34.17%Republican
   • 2.67%Neither
   • 17.17%Not Sure/Refused
5. Thinking about national issues, do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?
   
   • 12.17%Strongly Approve
   • 20.67%Somewhat Approve
   • 15.17%Somewhat Disapprove
   • 47.33%Strongly Disapprove
   • 4.67%Not Sure/Refused
6. If the election for president were held today, would you be voting for:
   
   • 42%Democrat Barack Obama
   • 43.17%Republican John McCain
   • 1.67%Libertarian Bob Barr
   • 13.17%Not Sure/Refused
7. Do you think a McCain presidency would be a continuation of, or a break from President Bush's policies?
   
   • 50.83%Continuation
   • 35.5%Break
   • 13.67%Not Sure/Refused
8. Is Barack Obama too liberal for North Carolina?
   
   • 38.83%Yes
   • 47.5%No
   • 13.67%Not Sure/Refused
9. If the election for US Senate were held today, would you be voting for:
   
   • 38.67%Democrat Kay Hagan
   • 46.67%Republican Elizabeth Dole
   • 1%Libertarian Chris Cole
   • 13.67%Not Sure/Refused
10. If the election for governor were held today, would you be voting for:
    
    • 43.83%Democrat Bev Perdue
    • 39.5%Republican Pat McCrory
    • 2.33%Libertarian Michael Munger
    • 14.33%Not Sure/Refused
11. Which political party, Republican or Democrat, do you trust more to deal with the following state issues: improving education?
    
    • 28.67%Republican
    • 48.67%Democrat
    • 3.83%Both equally
    • 10.5%Neither
    • 8.33%Not Sure/Refused
12. Creating jobs and growing the economy?
    
    • 34.17%Republican
    • 48.67%Democrat
    • 3.17%Both equally
    • 7%Neither
    • 7%Not Sure/Refused
13. Bringing change to North Carolina government?
    
    • 32.33%Republican
    • 43.83%Democrat
    • 2.5%Both equally
    • 10.17%Neither
    • 11.17%Not Sure/Refused
14. Holding down taxes?
    
    • 39.5%Democrat
    • 40.33%Republican
    • 2%Both equally
    • 11.33%Neither
    • 6.83%Not Sure/Refused
15. Improving roads and highways?
    
    • 31.83%Republican
    • 41.33%Democrat
    • 5.17%Both equally
    • 9.83%Neither
    • 11.83%Not Sure/Refused
16. Making health care more affordable?
    
    • 24.17%Republican
    • 52.5%Democrat
    • 3.17%Both equally
    • 12.33%Neither
    • 7.83%Not Sure/Refused
17. Controlling illegal immigration?
    
    • 38.33%Republican
    • 32.83%Democeat
    • 4%Both equally
    • 14.5%Neither
    • 10.33%Not Sure/Refused
18. Which of the following actions would have the most effect on bringing down the cost of gas?
    
    • 0.17%Did not answer
    • 49.33%Increase Drilling
    • 32.83%Taxes/oil company profits
    • 17.67%Not Sure/Refused
19. North Carolina community colleges teach basic skills courses like GED and English Literacy. It costs the state around $5,900 per full time student. Students are charged a small fee of around $50 for these individual basic skill courses. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to enroll in basic skills courses at North Carolina community colleges?
    
    • 23.5%Yes
    • 71%No
    • 5.5%Not Sure/Refused
20. Charter schools are public schools that give parents more options and teachers more freedom. Do you support allowing more charter schools to operate in North Carolina?
    
    • 65%Yes
    • 21.5%No
    • 13.5%Not Sure/Refused
21. Some states allow parents to have more school choices through a system of education tax credits that can be used at any public or private school. Would you support a system of education tax credits in North Carolina?
    
    • 63.67%Yes
    • 23.67%No
    • 12.67%Not Sure/Refused
22. Do you think the K-12 education system in North Carolina is better or worse than other states?
    
    • 26%Better
    • 36%Worse
    • 14.83%Same
    • 23.17%Not Sure/Refused
23. In order to create jobs and stimulate the economy, is it better for the state to cut taxes for existing businesses or give targeted tax incentives and cash to new businesses to relocate to North Carolina?
    
    • 33.5%Existing businesses
    • 49.5%New businesses
    • 17%Not Sure/Refused
24. Do you believe global warming is a real issue for people living in North Carolina?
    
    • 65.17%Yes
    • 29.17%No
    • 5.67%Not Sure/Refused
25. Would you be willing to pay higher state taxes, utility bills, and gas prices to fight global warming?
    
    • 41.83%Yes
    • 53.17%No
    • 5%Not Sure/Refused
26. Do you think taxes in North Carolina are higher or lower than in other states?
    
    • 24.71%Not Sure/Refused
    • 46.41%Higher
    • 28.88%Lower
27. Should the state use tax dollars to subsidize the building of toll roads and bridges?
    
    • 44.67%Yes
    • 45.5%No
    • 9.83%Not Sure/Refused
28. Should the state be able to forcibly take property from a private individual and sell it to another individual in order to foster economic development?
    
    • 5%Yes
    • 92.33%No
    • 2.67%Not Sure/Refused
29. A proposed one-year moratorium on forced annexation would briefly stop cities from forcing homeowners into their political boundaries without their consent. Do you support this one-year time out on forced annexation?
    
    • 51%Yes
    • 37%No
    • 12%Not Sure/Refused
30. Do you support keeping North Carolina a right-to-work state, where workers can't be forced into a union?
    
    • 77.17%Yes
    • 16%No
    • 6.83%Not Sure/Refused
31. A taxpayer bill of rights would limit the growth of government spending to inflation plus population growth. In 2007 that would have limited the growth in the state budget to about 5%. Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who pledges to support spending limits such as a taxpayer bill of rights?
    
    • 60%More
    • 17.33%Less
    • 5.83%No Difference
    • 16.83%Not Sure/Refused
32. How long have you been a resident of North Carolina?
    
    • 6.17%Less than 5 years
    • 8%5-10 years
    • 16.33%11-20 years
    • 10.5%21-30 years
    • 28.83%Over 30 years
    • 30.17%Native/all my life
33. Age group
    
    • 4.83%18-25
    • 15.5%26-40
    • 30.83%41-55
    • 21.83%56-65
    • 27%66+
34. Political Philosophy
    
    • 8.17%Very Liberal
    • 11%Somewhat Liberal
    • 26%Somewhat Conservative
    • 18.83%Very Conservative
    • 33%Moderate
    • 3%Not Sure/Refused
35. On social issues do you generally consider yourself conservative or liberal?
    
    • 13%Very Liberal
    • 17.83%Somewhat Liberal
    • 31%Somewhat Conservative
    • 23.83%Very Conservative
    • 10.67%Moderate
    • 3.67%Not Sure/Refused
36. Regardless of your party registration, do you:
    
    • 15%Always Vote Democrat
    • 29.5%Vote Dem more than Rep
    • 24%Vote Rep more than Dem
    • 8%Always Vote Republican
    • 21.5%Both equally/split ticket
    • 2%Not Sure/Refused
37. Education
    
    • 4.5%Less than HS Graduate
    • 29.17%High School Graduate
    • 21.5%2 yr college/technical
    • 30.17%4 yr college graduate
    • 14%Post graduate
    • 0.67%Not Sure/Refused
38. In your current employment status, are you:
    
    • 12.67%Self-Employed
    • 30.17%Working for a Private Company
    • 12.5%Work for Government
    • 6.83%Spouse/housewife
    • 33.83%Retired
    • 3.5%Unemployed
    • 0.5%Not Sure/Refused
39. National Heritage
    
    • 79.03%Caucasian
    • 18.96%African-American
    • 0.67%Native American
    • 1.17%Other
    • 0.17%Not Sure/Refused
40. Affiliation
    
    • 50.67%Democrat
    • 34.17%Republican
    • 15.17%Unaffiliated
41. Gender
    
    • 44.67%Male
    • 55.33%Female
42. Geographic Area
    
    • 19.17%Charlotte
    • 15%Western
    • 20.33%Piedmont Triad
    • 18.33%Triangle
    • 14.17%Northeast
    • 13%Southeast
43. Voting History
    
    • 8.5%New
    • 20.17%One of Three
    • 22.17%Two of Three
    • 49.17%Three of Three