Polls Show 70% Support for a Nationwide Vote for President
74% OF RHODE ISLAND VOTERS SUPPORT A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN JUNE 2008 POLL
A survey of 800 Rhode Island voters conducted on June 1, 2008 showed 74% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
Support was 78% among independents, 86% among liberal Democrats, 85% among moderate Democrats, 60% among conservative Democrats, 71% among liberal Republicans, 63% among moderate Republicans, and 35% among conservative Republicans.
By age, support was 77% among 18-29 year olds, 80% among 30-45 year olds, 70% among 46-65 year olds, and 76% for those 65 and above.
By gender, support was 84% among women and 63% among men.
By race, support was 76% among whites (representing 90% of respondents), 60% among African-Americans (representing 4% of respondents), 54% among Hispanics (representing 2% of respondents), and 69% among Others (representing 5% of respondents).
Report with cross-tabs
73% OF MASSACHUSETTS VOTERS SUPPORT A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN JUNE 2008 POLL
A survey of 800 Massachusetts voters conducted on June 3, 2008 showed 73% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
By party, support was 82% among Democrats, 66% among independents, and 54% among Republicans.
By age, support was 74% among 18-29 year olds, 69% among 30-45 year olds, 72% among 46-65 year olds, and 78% for those 65 and above.
By gender, support was 80% among women and 63% among men.
By race, support was 75% among whites (representing 88% of respondents), 59% among African-Americans (representing 4% of respondents), 66% among Hispanics (representing 1% of respondents), and 57% among Others (representing 7% of respondents).
Report with cross-tabs
75% OF VERMONT VOTERS SUPPORT A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT ON APRIL 2008 POLL
A survey of 800 Vermont voters conducted April 26, 2008 showed 75%–25% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
By party, support is 86%–14% among Democratic voters; 61%–39% among Republicans, and 74%–26% for Others.
By age, support is almost the same across all age groups. Specifically, support is 78%–22% among 18–29 year olds; 74%–26% among 30–45 year olds; 74%–26% among 46–65 year olds; and 74%–24% among 65-and-older.
By gender, support is 82%–18% among women and 67%–33% among men.
By race, support is 76%–24% among whites, 60%–40% among African-Americans (representing 3% of respondents), 57%–43% among Hispanics (representing 1% of respondents), and 67%–33% among Others.
Report with selected cross-tabs
Report with all cross-tabs
73% OF CONNECTICUT VOTERS SUPPORT A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN APRIL 2008 POLL
A survey of 797 Connecticut voters conducted April 19-20, 2008 showed 73%-27% support for a national popular vote for President.
By party, support for a national popular vote for President is 80%-20% among Democratic voters; 59%-41% among Republicans, and 76%-24% for Others.
By age, support is 76%-24% among 18-29 year olds; 67%-33% among 30-45 year olds; 72%-28% among 46-65 year olds; and 78%-22% among 65-and-older.
By gender, support is 81%-19% among women and 64%-36% among men.
By race, support is 73%-27% among whites, 71%-29% among African-Americans, 79%-21% among Hispanics, and 66%-34% among Others.
Report with selected cross-tabs
Report with all cross-tabs
72% OF THE PUBLIC SUPPORT NATIONWIDE POPULAR ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT IN 2007 POLL TAKEN BY WASHINGTON POST, KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Question 22 of the Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation-Harvard University Survey of Political Independents conducted in May-June 2007
asked:
For future presidential elections, would you support or oppose changing to a system in which the president is elected by direct popular vote, instead of by the electoral college?
Total
Support 72%
Oppose 23%
Don't Know 4%
Independent
Support 73%
Oppose 23%
Don't Know 4%
Democrat
Support 78%
Oppose 16%
Don't Know 5%
Republican
Support 60%
Oppose 35%
Don't Know 5%
PDF
70.4% OF THE PUBLIC SUPPORT NATIONWIDE POPULAR ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT IN AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2005 POLL TAKEN IN ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, MAINE, AND MICHIGAN
Missouri 66%
Arkansas 74%
Maine 71%
Michigan 70%
Results of poll on nationwide popular vote for President in Arkansas, Missouri, Maine and Michigan.
PDF
WORD
70% OF MISSOURI VOTERS FAVOR NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE IN OCTOBER 2005 POLL ON NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE LEGISLATION
Results of poll on national popular vote proposal in Missouri in October 2005:
Now let me read you a brief description of a proposed statewide ballot initiative to change the way that Missouri allocates its electoral votes in presidential elections.
Shall Missouri law be amended so that the presidential candidate receiving the most popular votes in all fifty states and the District of Columbia is awarded all of Missouri's electoral votes, with the law taking effect in Missouri only after the same law has been enacted in states having a majority of electoral votes? The proposed statutory change would have a zero estimated fiscal impact to the state and local governments.
If the election were held today, how would you vote on this ballot initiative--would you definitely vote "yes," probably vote "yes," probably vote "no," or definitely vote "no"?
16% Definitely vote "yes"
54% Probably vote "yes"
17% Probably vote "no"
8% Definitely vote "no"
5% Not sure 5%
70% Total Yes
17% Total No
GALLUP POLLS SINCE 1944 SHOW PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR NATIONWIDE POPULAR ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT
Public opinion has supported nationwide popular election of the President for over six decades. For example, the Gallup poll in 1944 asked:
It has been suggested that the electoral vote system be discontinued and Presidents of the United States be elected by total popular vote alone. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?1
In 1977 and 1980, the Gallup poll asked:
Would you approve or disapprove of an amendment to the Constitution which would do away with the electoral college and base the election of a President on the total vote cast throughout the nation?2
|
APPROVE |
DISAPPROVE |
NO OPINION |
| June 22–27, 1944 |
65% |
23% |
13% |
| January 14–17, 1977 |
73% |
15% |
12% |
| November 7–10, 1980 |
67% |
19% |
15% |
The Gallup News Service has also reported:
The greatest level of support, 81%, was recorded after the 1968 election when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey in another extremely close election.3
69% OF CALIFORNIA VOTERS FAVOR NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE AND
NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE FAVORED 58%-22% OVER DISTICT PLAN
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Assoicates poll of 800 likely voters in California on August 4-7, 2007
#29. Now, I would like to ask you about a different plan to determine the winner of the Presidential election than the one he have been discussing. This new, different proposal would guarantee that the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia will win the Presidency. Would you generally support or oppose switching to a system in which the Presidency is decided by the actual votes in all 50 states combined? (IF SUPPORT/OPPOSE ASK) "Is that strongly SUPPORT/OPPOSE or just somewhat?
Strongly support 44%
Somewhat support 25%
TOTAL SUPPORT 69%
Somewhat oppose 8%
Strongly oppose 12%
TOTAL OPPOSE 21%
(DON'T READ) DK/NA 10%
#30. Which of the two proposals to change the system we use to select the President do you support more: (ROTATE)
58% - The system in which the candidate who receives the most popular votes
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia will win the Presidency
OR
22% - The system in which the candidate who wins the most votes in
individual Congressional Districts will win the Presidency
3% - BOTH
5% -
5% - KEEP CURRENT ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM
6% - DON'T KNOW/NA
TV-Radio-Web Polls
AOL News Poll — June 9, 2008
How would prefer the United States elect its President?
National popular vote 84,220 74%
Electoral college vote 23,976 21%
Some other way 5,495 5%
Posted June 6, 2008
Results as of June 9, 2008
California KCRA-TV Sacramento
Do you think the president should be elected by popular vote?
Yes 420 71%
No 111 20%
Not Sure 17 3%
Total 548
Posted June 19, 2007
Results as of June 21, 2007
Arkansas Today's THV web poll
An Arkansas Legislator has filed a bill calling on other states to adopt a system of electing the president by popular vote. It is part of a campaign by a group trying to do away with the traditional role of the Electoral College.
Do you think the Prsident should be elected by popular vote?
Yes 971 76%
No 259 20%
Not sure 51 4%
Total 1281
Posted February 23, 2007
Results as of March 1, 2007
Utah KSL Radio web poll
How do you think the election of the President should work?
By electoral college 383 41%
By popular vote 545 59%
Total 928
Posted February 7, 2007
Results as of March 1, 2007
