Maurice Carroll, Director Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Rubenstein Associates, Inc., Public Relations Pat Smith (212) 843-8026 FOR RELEASE: JUNE 22, 2009
NEW YORK GOVERNMENT IS BROKEN, VOTERS SAY 4 - 1, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; 3 – 1 DISAPPROVAL IS WORST EVER FOR STATE LEGISLATURE State government is dysfunctional, New York State voters say 78 – 18 percent, with agreement among all parties and races and in every area of the state, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Blame for this dysfunction is evenly divided, with 25 percent blaming Republicans in the Legislature, 21 percent blaming Democrats and 23 percent blaming Gov. David Paterson. The biggest group, 31 percent, is undecided. Voters disapprove 69 – 18 percent of the job the New York State Legislature is doing, the lowest grade ever by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll. This feeling also is consistent among most groups. Separately, voters disapprove 67 – 20 percent of the job the State Senate is doing. But voters say 48 – 27 percent that their state senator deserves to be reelected in 2010. Democrats back their individual state senator 56 – 19 percent, while Republicans are less supportive, 41 – 36 percent. Independent voters back their incumbent 47 – 31 percent. The Democrats should control the State Senate, voters say 50 – 30 percent, a decision that follows strict party lines with independent voters tipping Democratic 37 – 31 percent. “Dysfunctional? That could be the automatic adjective for Albany. Maybe we should find a more vivid word. Three quarters of New York State voters say their state government doesn’t work,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Gov. David Paterson just can’t win. He’s not even in the Senate anymore, but a substantial minority blames him for the nonsense there. “And while almost nobody likes the ‘legislature,’ that big impersonal word, many voters still back their own State Senator, a person with a name and face they know.” -more
Quinnipiac University Poll/June 22, 2009 – page 2 The stalemate in the State Senate makes them embarrassed to be New Yorkers, 42 percent of voters say, but 55 percent are not embarrassed. A total of 80 percent of voters are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” that this stalemate could prevent passage of important legislation. And 71 percent of New York State voters, one of the highest numbers ever measured in a Quinnipiac University poll, are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the Empire State today. A total of 80 percent of upstate voters are dissatisfied, including 48 percent who are “very dissatisfied.” “Truth remains goofier than fiction. We’re only sort of embarrassed – but we’re really worried – about the Senate standoff. Overwhelmingly, voters fear that it imperils the chances of passing important legislation,” Carroll said. Legislative Redistricting Looking at one possible reform measure, New York State voters say 66 – 22 percent that the district lines by which state legislators and members of Congress are elected should be drawn by a commission with no connection to the State Legislature, rather than by the State Legislature, as is the current practice. Support for a commission separate from the legislature is strong among all groups. District lines drawn by a commission independent of the legislature would make for more competitive elections, voters say 65 – 14 percent. “Letting legislators draw their own district lines would tempt a saint into self- protection, and no one thinks there are many saints in Albany,” Carroll said. “Voters want a commission independent of the Legislature to create the legislative districts. Normally, voters don’t focus on an issue such as this. But given their feelings about state government, there could be more pressure for reform.” From June 16 – 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,477 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed – http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.
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17. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Approve Disapprove DK/NA
Approve Disapprove DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
18% 69 13
11% 73 16
27% 60 13
15% 75 10
15% 77 8
21% 62 17
13% 74 13
33% 55 13
44% 40 16
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
11% 72 17
14% 74 12
16% 71 13
15% 74 11
25% 61 14
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Approve Disapprove DK/NA
Jun 22 2009
Apr 06 2009
Feb 17 2009
Jan 15 2009
APPROVE...... High Low Apr 4 Jun 22 2007 2009
18 69 13
26 58 16
32 50 18
28 54 18
34 43 23
18 69 13
DIS... High Jun 22 2009 18 69 13
18. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state Senate is handling its job?
Approve Disapprove DK/NA
Approve Disapprove DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
20% 67 13
16% 70 14
26% 61 12
16% 73 11
17% 76 7
23% 59 18
16% 71 13
31% 56 13
37% 45 18
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
11% 76 13
18% 69 13
18% 69 13
18% 68 13
25% 63 12
20. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Very satisfied Smwht satisfied Smwht dissatisfied Very dissatisfied DK/NA
Very satisfied Smwht satisfied Smwht dissatisfied Very dissatisfied DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
2% 26 34 37 1
2% 17 36 44 1
3% 36 35 25 1
1% 21 35 42 1
2% 23 33 41 1
2% 29 35 33 1
1% 23 35 40 1
5% 38 27 30 1
5% 32 45 16 1
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
2% 15 35 47 -
2% 18 32 48 -
31 40 28 1
2% 18 32 48 -
3% 34 33 28 2
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TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Very satisfied Smwht satisfied Smwht dissatisfied Very dissatisfied DK/NA
Jun 22 2009
Apr 07 2009
Feb 18 2009
Jan 15 2009
Dec 24 2008
VERY+SMWHT SAT High Low Feb 25 Apr 07 1998 2009
2 26 34 37 1
1 24 34 40 1
2 29 37 31 1
2 28 33 36 1
3 27 34 36 1
13 60 20 7 1
1 24 34 40 1
22. Looking ahead to the 2010 election for state senator, do you feel that your state senator deserves to be reelected, or do you feel that your state senator does not deserve to be reelected?
Yes/Deserves No/Does not DK/NA
Yes/Deserves No/Does not DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
48% 27 25
41% 36 23
56% 19 26
47% 31 22
47% 33 20
50% 21 28
48% 28 23
58% 19 24
52% 27 22
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
45% 23 32
51% 28 22
46% 30 24
51% 28 21
47% 24 28
23. Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected - the state legislature or a commission that has no connection to the state legislature?
Legislature Commission DK/NA
Legislature Commission DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
22% 66 12
20% 68 12
28% 59 12
16% 75 9
20% 71 9
24% 61 15
17% 72 11
42% 47 11
34% 49 17
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
15% 71 14
20% 70 10
17% 69 14
20% 70 9
27% 59 14
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24. If a commission drew the district lines from which legislators and members of Congress are elected, would that make for more competitive elections or not?
Yes No DK/NA
Yes No DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
65% 14 22
63% 14 23
66% 13 21
66% 14 20
68% 16 16
62% 12 26
67% 13 21
63% 13 24
61% 21 18
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
71% 11 18
68% 12 20
62% 14 24
67% 12 21
63% 16 21
25. Who would you like to control the state senate - the Democrats or the Republicans?
Democrats Republicans DK/NA
Democrats Republicans DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
50% 30 20
3% 84 14
90% 2 8
37% 31 32
43% 36 20
56% 24 20
42% 37 21
87% 2 10
66% 17 17
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
53% 25 22
39% 35 26
41% 40 18
37% 36 27
69% 17 14
26. Do you think there is any significant difference between the Democrats and the Republicans in the State Senate?
Yes No DK/NA
Yes No DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
63% 30 8
64% 29 7
72% 20 8
53% 39 8
60% 34 6
65% 25 10
61% 31 8
69% 22 8
77% 21 2
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
61% 33 6
57% 34 9
63% 28 8
56% 35 9
70% 24 6
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27. Some people have said that New York State government is dysfunctional. Do you agree or disagree?
Agree Disagree DK/NA
Agree Disagree DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
78% 18 4
80% 15 5
72% 22 5
83% 14 3
80% 17 3
76% 19 5
81% 15 4
66% 28 6
64% 28 7
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
89% 7 4
84% 13 3
75% 20 5
84% 14 3
71% 23 6
TREND: Some people have said that New York State government is dysfunctional. Do you agree or disagree?
Agree Disagree DK/NA
Jun 22 2009
Apr 07 2009
78 18 4
71 23 6
27a. (If agree q27) Who do you think is most to blame - Governor Paterson or the Republicans in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?
Paterson Republicans in leg Democrats in leg DK/NA
Paterson Republicans in leg Democrats in leg DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
23% 25 21 31
29% 3 42 26
17% 45 10 28
26% 20 20 34
20% 23 26 30
25% 27 16 32
25% 21 23 32
13% 50 10 26
14% 35 22 29
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
27% 21 17 35
27% 19 20 34
23% 21 26 30
28% 19 20 33
16% 36 20 28
TREND: (If agree) Who do you think is most to blame - Governor Paterson, the Republicans in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?
Paterson Republicans in leg Democrats in leg DK/NA
Jun 22 2009
Apr 07 2009
23 25 21 31
21 21 25 33
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28. Does the current controversy over who controls the State Senate make you embarrassed to be a New Yorker?
Yes No DK/NA
Yes No DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
42% 55 3
40% 57 3
40% 56 3
46% 51 3
41% 58 1
42% 53 5
45% 53 2
35% 61 4
24% 70 6
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
47% 51 2
49% 49 3
39% 58 4
49% 48 3
34% 63 3
29. Who do you blame for the controversy - Democrats or Republicans?
Democrats Republicans DK/NA
Democrats Republicans DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
29% 32 39
58% 9 32
13% 52 35
32% 26 43
34% 29 37
24% 35 41
33% 28 39
13% 54 32
24% 40 37
UpState..... Urban Othr
UpState Total NYC
Sub
25% 34 40
29% 29 42
35% 30 35
29% 29 42
25% 37 37
30. How concerned are you that this controversy might prevent passage of important legislation? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
His
Very concerned 47% Smwht concerned 33 Not too concerned 12 Not concerned at all 7 DK/NA 2
41% 35 13 10 2
51% 32 12 4 2
48% 33 11 7 1
45% 32 12 10 1
49% 33 11 4 2
47% 34 11 6 1
62% 17 13 6 2
32% 40 16 7 4
UpState Total NYC
Sub
47% 32 11 7 1
44% 36 13 6 1
UpState..... Urban Othr Very concerned 46% Smwht concerned 29 Not too concerned 17 Not concerned at all 5 DK/NA 3
47% 33 11 8 1
50% 31 11 6 3
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