What Did Unaffiliated Voters Think In 2012? | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Every August, Civitas polls NC unaffiliated voters to find out what this crucial voting bloc thinks. This year, our unaffiliated poll will be unveiled at Poll Lunch on Aug. 18 in Raleigh. We invite all interested citizens to attend. There are seats still available. To find out more or sign up online, click here.

    It might be interesting to look back and see what unaffiliated voters were thinking at the same point before the last presidential nomination. The key questions and responses in our 2012 live-caller poll of NC unaffiliated voters are as follows:

    As you may know, the General Election for President, Governor and Congress is going to be held in November this year. How much attention have you been paying to the various campaigns so far? Would you say you have been paying...

    88% Great deal/Moderate

    12% Little bit/ None

    42% A great deal of attention

    46% A moderate amount of attention

    11% Only a little bit of attention

    Do you feel things in North Carolina are generally headed in the right direction or have gotten off on the wrong track?

    2010 2011 2012

    29% 25% 31% Right Direction

    53% 61% 56% Wrong Track

    17% 14% 13% Don't Know/Unsure (DO NOT READ)

    1% - - Refused (DO NOT READ)

    And if the election for State Legislature were held today, would you be voting for the... (ROTATE)

    2010 2011 2012

    39% 32% 37% Republican Candidate

    27% 29% 32% Democratic Candidate

    15% 14% 6% Neither (DO NOT READ)

    18% 24% 23% Don't Know (DO NOT READ)

    1% 1% 2% Refused (DO NOT READ)

    When you think about voting for North Carolina offices like the state legislature, what issue or problem should be their highest priority? (RANDOMIZE)

    2010 2011 2012

    41% 45% 45% Economy and jobs

    15% 16% 19% Improving public education

    4% 4% 3% Holding down taxes

    7% 5% 5% Reducing healthcare costs

    5% 4% 4% Government Corruption

    2% 2% 3% Moral Issues

    17% 14% 14% Budget/Spending

    7% 2% 4% Illegal Immigration

    1% 5% 2% Other (DO NOT READ)

    2% 3% 1% Not sure (DO NOT READ)

    - - - Refused (DO NOT READ)

    Now I am going to read you a list of people active in politics. After I read each name, please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of that person. If you have never heard of them just tell me and we'll go on to the next one...the (first/next) one is...(RANDOMIZE)

    FAVORABLE UNFAVORABLE HEARD OF - NO OPIN (DNR) NEVER HEARD OF (DNR)

    Barack Obama

    2012 49% 45% 6% 1%

    2011 46% 47% 6% 1%

    2010 42% 49% 8% -

    Mitt Romney

    2012 41% 48% 10% 1%

    Bev Perdue

    2012 37% 52% 9% 2%

    2011 39% 44% 14% 3%

    2010 42% 40% 15% 2%

    Pat McCrory

    2012 45% 24% 22% 9%

    Walter Dalton

    2012 23% 20% 29% 27%

    Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Barack Obama is doing as President?

    2010 2011 2012

    44% 44% 50% Total Approve

    52% 52% 47% Total Disapprove

    20% 17% 27% Strongly Approve

    24% 27% 23% Somewhat Approve

    10% 17% 9% Somewhat Disapprove

    43% 35% 38% Strongly Disapprove

    4% 5% 2% Undecided/Don't Know (DO NOT READ)

    - - 1% Refused (DO NOT READ

    Some people decide early in a campaign how they will vote. Others make their decisions just before the election. When would you say you will make your FINAL decision on which candidate you are going to vote for?

    7% On Election Day

    14% The Last Few Days Before The Election

    3% During One Stop Voting The Last 3 Weeks Of October

    6% During The Last Two Weeks In October

    4% Before One Stop Voting Starts October 16

    3% In September

    60% Already Have

    3% Don't Know/ Refused (DO NOT READ)

    If the election for President of the United States were being held today and you had to make a choice, for whom would you vote if the candidates were: (ROTATE) Mitt Romney, the Republican, and Barack Obama, the Democrat?

    45% Total Romney

    45% Total Obama

    39% Definitely Romney

    5% Probably Romney

    1% Lean Romney

    7% Undecided (DO NOT READ)

    2% Lean Obama

    4% Probably Obama

    38% Definitely Obama

    3% Refused (DO NOT READ)

    (Voters who preferred Romney were asked:)

    To the best of your ability, please complete the following sentence: "If I have one hesitation in voting for Mitt Romney, it is..." (OPEN END)

    18% Unfavorable/ Disagree with this views/ Negative (general)

    17% Dishonest/ Untrustworthy/ Fake

    14% Out of touch with lower and middle class/ Not for the people

    14% Dislike his religious beliefs/ Dislike that he is Mormon

    13% Dislike stance on moral issues/ Women's rights/ Dislike abortion policy

    3% Voting record/ Past record

    9% None/ Nothing

    12% Don't know/ Don't know what to believe

    (Voters who preferred Obama were asked:)

    To the best of your ability, please complete the following sentence: "If I have one hesitation in voting for Barack Obama, it is..." (OPEN END)

    22% Ineffective/ Got nothing done/ Not doing a good job/ Too much opposition

    16% Unfavorable/ Disagree with this views/ Negative (general)

    16% Dislike his moral values/ Disagree with stance on gay marriage

    8% Dislike healthcare reform/ Obamacare

    6% Poor economy/ To blame for economy

    6% No job growth/ High unemployment rate

    3% Fiscally irresponsible/ Too much spending

    3% Other

    5% None/Nothing

    15% Don't know

    (ASK ALL)

    If the election for Governor were held today and you had to make a choice, for whom would you vote if the candidates were: (RANDOMIZE)

    46% Pat McCrory, the Republican

    29% Walter Dalton, the Democrat

    10% Barbara Howe, the Libertarian

    33% DEFINITELY MCCRORY 3% DEFINITELY HOWE

    12% PROBABLY MCCRORY 5% PROBABLY HOWE

    1% LEAN MCCRORY 1% LEAN HOWE

    18% DEFINITELY DALTON 13% HARD UNDECIDED (DNR)

    8% PROBABLY DALTON 1% OTHER (DNR)

    2% LEAN DALTON 2% REFUSED (DNR)

    In your own words can you please tell me why you are registered as an Independent or Unaffiliated? (OPEN END)

    30% Do not want to be told to vote for a certain party/ To vote for whoever I want/ To keep my options open/ To vote in either primary/ Don't want to be committed to one party/ Don't like voting a straight ticket

    27% Vote for the person not the party/ Vote on the person's views on issues/ Vote for who I think will do the best job representing me

    22% Do not agree with either party/ Do not want to be associated with either party/ Don't think any one party is right/ Parties need to work together/ I'm in the middle/ I can see both sides

    5% Have always been unaffiliated/ Independent

    4% Not happy with politicians/ Can't trust them

    3% Don't like political parties/ Don't like the two party system (non-specific)

    2% I lean Republican

    2% I lean Democrat

    2% Was a Democrat/ Do not agree with my previous party anymore

    2% Personal choice/ Personal reasons

    2% Was a Republican/ Do not agree with my previous party anymore

    2% Do not want to be bothered with mail/ E-mail/ Door-step visits/ Phone calls

    - Other

    10% None/ Nothing/ Not registered unaffiliated/ Am a Republican/ Democrat

    1% Don't know

    2% Refused

    On fiscal issues, like taxes and government spending, do you generally consider yourself to be a liberal, moderate or a conservative?

    2010 2011 2012

    11% 11% 14% Liberal

    28% 40% 38% Moderate

    58% 43% 42% Conservative

    3% 6% 6% Don' Know/Refused (DO NOT READ)

    On social issues, like abortion and marriage, do you generally consider yourself to be a liberal, moderate or a conservative?

    2010 2011 2012

    30% 35% 32% Liberal

    24% 23% 28% Moderate

    42% 35% 35% Conservative

    4% 6% 5% Don' Know/Refused (DO NOT READ)

    And, in partisan elections, which of the following would best describe the way you vote? (ROTATE TOP-TO-BOTTOM/BOTTOM TO TOP)

    2011 2012

    35% 36% Total Republican

    39% 40% Total Democrat

    8% 10% Always vote Democrat

    31% 31% Vote Democrat more often than Republican

    30% 31% Vote Republican more often than Democrat

    5% 5% Always vote Republican

    16% 16% Both equally - Split ticket (DO NOT READ)

    9% 7% Not Sure/ Don't Know (DO NOT READ)

    2% - Refused (DO NOT READ)

    Which of the following most reflects your beliefs regarding the impact of taxes: (ROTATE)

    2010 2011 2012

    55% 43% 49% Tax increases harm economic growth and cause jobs to be lost

    28% 17% 15% Tax increases have no real effect on the economy and job creation

    * 27% 25% Tax increases will improve the economy by adding revenue to government

    14% 12% 9% Don't Know/ No Opinion (DO NOT READ)

    2% 1% 1% Refused (DO NOT READ)

    Please tell me which of the following opinions about government spending comes closer to your own. (ROTATE)

    39% (Some/Other) people say now is not the time to ask taxpayers to fund more government spending. They say that in an ideal world, more funding would be available for important programs, but during these difficult economic times, sacrifices need to made, including capping, reducing or even de-funding some state government services.

    51% (Other/Some) people say that funding state programs such as education and medical services is such a vital and important role that taxes should be increased to fully fund them. They say that funding these programs now will save us money in the long term, for example, by investing in education to train a competitive workforce, and by funding medical services now so that the needs of seniors and the poor don't multiply due to lack of medical care.

    10 % Don't Know (DO NOT READ)

    1 % Refused (DO NOT READ)

    Do you support or oppose exploring for oil and natural gas on land and off the coast of North Carolina?*

    2010* 2011* 2012

    51% 60% 63% Total Support

   

    38% 32% 26% Total Oppose

    24% 32% 34% Strongly Support

    27% 29% 29% Somewhat Support

    11% 13% 12% Somewhat Oppose

    27% 19% 14% Strongly Oppose

    10% 8% 11% Don't Know/ No Opinion (DO NOT READ)

    * Previous wording "... drilling for oil and natural gas off the coast of North Carolina?"

    North Carolina has passed legislation authorizing Tax Credits for parents of special needs children to allow them to attend schools that charge tuition. Some people argue that giving parents choice will improve educational outcomes for all students while others argue that taking students away from traditional public schools weaken those schools. Which of the following statements comes closer to your opinion on the issue of school choice and public schools? (ROTATE)

    2011 2012

    61% 67% Giving parents more choice in K-12 education will improve education for students. North Carolina should move towards allowing more choice in K-12 education for parents and children.

    28% 26% The state should be the primary educator of all K-12 children. Any legislation that allows parents the ability to move children out of the traditional K-12 public school system will weaken public education.

    9% 6% Don't Know (DO NOT READ)

    2% 1% Refused (DO NOT READ)

    In May 2012, North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman and as the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. Do you agree or disagree with that vote?

    48% Total Agree

    48% Total Disagree

    39% Strongly Agree

    9% Somewhat Agree

    10% Somewhat Disagree

    38% Strongly Disagree

    4% Undecided/Don't Know (DO NOT READ)

    - Refused (DO NOT READ)

    Do you support or oppose the death penalty for First-degree murder?

    2010 2011 2012

    64% 62% 62% Total Support

    27% 30% 28% Total Oppose

    40% 36% 41% Strongly Support

    24% 26% 20% Somewhat Support

    12% 14% 14% Somewhat Oppose

    15% 17% 15% Strongly Oppose

    8% 7% 10% Don't Know/ No Opinion (DO NOT READ)

    1% 1% - Refused (DO NOT READ)

    Do you support or oppose President Obama's Health Care law?*

    2010* 2011* 2012

    40% 42% 45% Total Support

    51% 47% 48% Total Oppose

    23% 16% 26% Strongly Support

    16% 26% 18% Somewhat Support

    9% 12% 8% Somewhat Oppose

    42% 36% 40% Strongly Oppose

    9% 9% 7% Don't Know/ No Opinion (DO NOT READ)

    - 1% - Refused (DO NOT READ)

    * Previous wording "...President Obama's Health Care reform law?"

    Who did you vote for or support in the 2008 Presidential Election? (ROTATE)

    2010 2011 2012

    44% 50% 50% Barack Obama

    47% 37% 36% John McCain

    3% 4% 3% Someone Else (DO NOT READ)

    2% 5% 9% Don't Remember/ Didn't Vote/Support a candidate (DNR)

    4% 4% 3% Refused (DO NOT READ)


    The poll surveyed 400 Independent/Unaffiliated Voters; the margin of error was +/- 4.9%. Field Dates: August 20-21, 2012