About the Tracking Polls
Previous Polls
Interviews with 733 likely voters, conducted October 22-23, 1996.
Likely Voters' Presidential Choice
Clinton Dole Perot |
51% 34% 7% |
Sampling error: +/-4 percentage points |
Suppose that the 1996 presidential election were being held today and it included Bill Clinton and Al Gore as the Democratic candidates, Bob Dole and Jack Kemp as the Republican candidates, and Ross Perot and Pat Choate as the Reform Party candidates. Would you vote for Bill Clinton and Al Gore, the Democrats -- Bob Dole and Jack Kemp, the Republicans -- or Ross Perot, the Reform Party candidate? If undecided, as of today, do you lean toward Clinton and Gore, the Democrats, Dole and Kemp, the Republicans, or Perot and Choate, the Reform Party candidates?
Likely Voters |
Clinton Dole Perot |
10/14-15 48% 39% 5% |
10/15-16 50% 38% 6% |
10/16-17 51% 36% 8% |
10/17-18 55% 32% 8% |
10/18-19 54% 35% 6% |
10/19-20 55% 34% 6% |
10/20-21 52% 33% 8% |
10/21-22 51% 35% 7% |
10/22-23 51% 34% 7% |
Question to Perot voters: Who would be your second choice for President -- Dole or Clinton?
Likely Voters |
Clinton Dole |
10/14-15 51% 41% |
10/15-16 53% 40% |
10/16-17 54% 39% |
10/17-18 58% 35% |
10/18-19 57% 37% |
10/19-20 58% 36% |
10/20-21 56% 36% |
10/21-22 55% 37% |
10/22-23 55% 36% |
If the elections for Congress were being held today, which party's candidate would you vote for in your congressional district -- the Democratic party's candidate or the Republican party's candidate? (IF UNDECIDED: Do you lean more toward the Democratic party's candidate or the Republican party's candidate?)
Likely Voters
Democratic Republican |
9/6-8 50% 40% |
9/13-15 52% 42% |
9/20-22 48% 45% |
10/1-2 51% 43% |
10/11-12 53% 41% |
10/12-13 52% 42% |
10/19-20 52% 42% |
10/22-23 51% 42% |
Sampling error: +/-4 percentage points |
Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think each of the following statements better applies to Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, or Ross Perot?
Would do a better job handling the economy:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/14-15 44% 33% 16% 1% |
10/15-16 44% 32% 18% 1% |
10/16-17 43% 31% 20% 1% |
10/17-18 46% 30% 19% 1% |
10/18-19 46% 32% 17% 2% |
10/19-20 48% 30% 18% 1% |
10/20-21 48% 31% 16% 1% |
10/21-22 47% 33% 13% 2% |
10/22-23 47% 30% 14% 2% |
Would do a better job handling foreign affairs:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/14-15 46% 41% 4% 2% |
10/15-16 48% 41% 4% 1% |
10/16-17 47% 41% 4% 2% |
10/17-18 48% 39% 6% 2% |
10/18-19 49% 40% 4% 2% |
10/19-20 49% 40% 4% 2% |
10/20-21 48% 39% 5% 2% |
10/21-22 48% 41% 3% 1% |
10/22-23 49% 39% 4% 1% |
Shares your views on the size and role of government:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/14-15 39% 36% 12% 4% |
10/15-16 39% 35% 13% 5% |
10/16-17 40% 34% 12% 6% |
10/17-18 43% 33% 13% 4% |
10/18-19 43% 35% 12% 4% |
10/19-20 46% 32% 12% 4% |
10/20-21 46% 31% 11% 4% |
10/21-22 43% 35% 9% 3% |
10/22-23 42% 34% 10% 5% |
Would provide the best moral leadership for the country:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/14-15 33% 47% 7% 6% |
10/15-16 34% 47% 8% 6% |
10/16-17 34% 44% 10% 5% |
10/17-18 35% 42% 10% 7% |
10/18-19 36% 46% 8% 6% |
10/19-20 38% 45% 7% 6% |
10/20-21 38% 42% 8% 6% |
10/21-22 38% 42% 8% 5% |
10/22-23 36% 42% 8% 6% |
Would do the best job of handling taxes:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/14-15 38% 36% 14% 4% |
10/15-16 39% 34% 15% 4% |
10/16-17 38% 33% 16% 4% |
10/17-18 41% 31% 16% 5% |
10/18-19 41% 34% 14% 5% |
10/19-20 45% 33% 14% 3% |
10/20-21 43% 33% 13% 4% |
10/21-22 39% 35% 13% 5% |
10/22-23 39% 32% 15% 5% |
|
Can be trusted to keep his promises:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/14-15 29% 38% 9% 17% |
10/15-16 32% 37% 10% 14% |
10/16-17 34% 36% 9% 13% |
10/17-18 35% 34% 9% 14% |
10/18-19 34% 36% 8% 15% |
10/19-20 35% 35% 8% 16% |
10/20-21 36% 34% 9% 15% |
10/21-22 35% 35% 10% 13% |
10/22-23 34% 35% 9% 14% |
|
* = Volunteered response. Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
Compared to previous elections, do you feel more enthusiastic about voting than you usually do, less enthusiastic, or about the same?
More Less Same |
All 21% 32% 46% |
Demo- crats 26% 19% 54% |
Repub- licans 19% 40% 39% |
Clinton Voters 23% 24% 52% |
Dole Voters 20% 39% 40% |
|
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
Does the outcome of this year's presidential election matter to you more than in previous years, less than in previous years, or about the same?
More Less Same |
All 44% 6% 49% |
Demo- crats 46% 6% 48% |
Repub- licans 48% 6% 45% |
Clinton Voters 42% 7% 51% |
Dole Voters 53% 3% 43% |
|
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
Next, I'm going to read three statements about the election. As I read each one, please say whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with each one:
If Bill Clinton appears likely to win on election day, I will have less interest in voting than in previous years.
Strongly Agree Somewhat agree Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree |
All 13% 9% 18% 56% |
Demo- crats 16% 9% 18% 54% |
Repub- licans 11% 8% 18% 60% |
Clinton Voters 12% 9% 19% 56% |
Dole Voters 13% 8% 14% 63% |
|
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
The stakes in this presidential election
are higher than in previous years.
Strongly Agree Somewhat agree Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree |
All 37% 30% 20% 9% |
Demo- crats 37% 30% 20% 10% |
Repub- licans 41% 31% 20% 5% |
Clinton Voters 32% 30% 24% 11% |
Dole Voters 47% 30% 15% 5% |
|
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
I am afraid of what will happen if my
candidate for president does not win.
Strongly Agree Somewhat agree Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree |
All 35% 24% 22% 15% |
Demo- crats 41% 22% 20% 14% |
Repub- licans 37% 25% 21% 12% |
Clinton Voters 37% 22% 23% 15% |
Dole Voters 40% 27% 19% 11% |
|
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
Other Results:
(Editor's Note: These are results of questions asked as part of some of the daily surveys.)
Oct. 19-20
At any time over the past two months, have you changed your mind about which candidate you will support for President?
Next, I will read off the names of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say whether you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of this person -- or if you have never heard of him.
Likely Voters |
Bill Clinton Favorable Unfavorable |
10/11-12 62% 35% |
10/12-13 60% 35% |
10/13-14 58% 36% |
10/14-15 59% 36% |
10/15-16 58% 38% |
10/16-17 58% 38% |
10/17-18 61% 34% |
10/18-19 58% 37% |
10/19-20 59% 36% |
Likely Voters |
Bob Dole Favorable Unfavorable |
10/11-12 54% 39% |
10/12-13 56% 37% |
10/13-14 54% 37% |
10/14-15 53% 38% |
10/15-16 53% 41% |
10/16-17 51% 41% |
10/17-18 50% 43% |
10/18-19 53% 40% |
10/19-20 52% 42% |
Likely Voters |
Ross Perot Favorable Unfavorable |
10/11-12 31% 55% |
10/12-13 31% 54% |
10/13-14 31% 53% |
10/14-15 32% 52% |
10/15-16 32% 55% |
10/16-17 32% 54% |
10/17-18 32% 55% |
10/18-19 32% 54% |
10/19-20 32% 54% |
Sampling error: +/-4 percentage points
Do you feel Bob Dole is too old to be president, or not?
Yes No |
10/11-12 31% 66% |
10/12-13 33% 64% |
10/13-14 31% 65% |
10/14-15 30% 67% |
10/15-16 32% 66% |
10/16-17 29% 69% |
10/17-18 30% 67% |
10/18-19 30% 67% |
10/19-20 32% 67% |
|
Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think each of the following statements better applies to Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, or Ross Perot?
Currently has the best political campaign:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/12-13 70% 16% 1% 6% |
10/13-14 70% 17% 2% 4% |
10/14-15 69% 17% 2% 5% |
10/15-16 69% 16% 2% 5% |
10/16-17 70% 15% 3% 5% |
10/17-18 75% 14% 2% 3% |
10/18-19 72% 17% 2% 3% |
10/19-20 72% 15% 2% 5% |
|
Would do the best job handling Medicare:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/12-13 52% 32% 5% 2% |
10/13-14 50% 32% 6% 3% |
10/14-15 50% 33% 6% 3% |
10/15-16 49% 32% 7% 3% |
10/16-17 48% 31% 8% 3% |
10/17-18 52% 30% 9% 2% |
10/18-19 51% 33% 7% 3% |
10/19-20 52% 32% 7% 2% |
|
Cares about the needs of people like you:
Clinton Dole Perot None* |
10/12-13 49% 33% 6% 8% |
10/13-14 46% 34% 8% 8% |
10/14-15 44% 33% 10% 9% |
10/15-16 46% 33% 9% 9% |
10/16-17 48% 32% 10% 7% |
10/17-18 50% 29% 9% 9% |
10/18-19 50% 31% 8% 7% |
10/19-20 51% 29% 8% 8% |
|
* = Volunteered response. Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points
Oct. 16-17
Do you support the "Clinton/Gore," "Dole/Kemp" or "Perot/Choate" ticket strongly, or only moderately?
Likely Voters |
Clinton Voters Strongly Moderately |
10/2-3 51% 47% |
10/7-8 57% 42% |
10/13-14 59% 40% |
10/14-15 57% 41% |
10/15-16 58% 41% |
10/16-17 59% 39% |
Dole Voters Strongly Moderately |
10/2-3 58% 41% |
10/7-8 59% 40% |
10/13-14 56% 43% |
10/14-15 56% 43% |
10/15-16 57% 41% |
10/16-17 58% 39% |
NOTE: Too few Perot/Choate voters for statistically valid results. Sampling error: +/-5 percentage points
|