*Results of Voters' Voice poll, conducted by UNH Survey Center for the New Hampshire Voters' Voice Project. The topics are: what NH citizens think the media should focus on during the campaign; what NH citizens perceive as most important problems facing NH; and what NH citizens perceive as most important problems facing the United States. We provide these poll results to you for your information about the New Hampshire electorate and the Voters' Voice Project. These reports are provided to you as we received them from the UNH Survey Center and Voters' Voice.
MEDIA FOCUS The purpose of this report is to identify what citizens think the news media should focus on during the upcoming presidential primary campaign. Specifically, respondents were asked whether the news media should focus MORE or LESS attention on a series of items. As shown in TABLE 1, New Hampshire citizens appear to have strong views as to what they think the news media's focus should be. Over one-half of adults say they would like to see the news media focus more attention on the experience of the candidates (55%) and on each candidate's vision for the future of the country (55%). Many citizens also express an interest in learning about the PACs and interest groups which help fund each candidate's election campaign (42%). Very few people think the media should focus more attention on horse-race poll results (11%) or the personal lives of each candidate (11%). Notice that nearly 4 out-of 5 respondents (79%) think the news media should focus less attention on personal lives of the candidates. These results were compared by a comprehensive set of demographic variables in order to identify variations among sub-groups of the population. Interestingly, very few differences were found. This suggests that most people generally share the view that the news media should focus more on the candidates' experience and vision for the future of the country, and less on horse-race poll results and the personal lives of the candidates. It should be noted, of course, that the survey results may overrepresent what respondents consider to be the socially desirable answer to each of these questions, while the behavior of citizens as consumers of news will not necessarily correspond with their stated preferences. -------------------------------------- TABLE 1 COMPARED TO PAST ELECTIONS, WHAT SHOULD THE MEDIA FOCUS ON DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CAMPAIGN More Less Same Attention Attention Attention Total Candidates' Experience 55% 16 29 100% Candidates' Vision 55% 18 27 100% PACs & Interest Groups 42% 35 23 100% Poll Results 11% 61 28 100% Candidates' Personal Life 11% 79 10 100% CASES = 512 ___________________________ QUESTIONS USED IN THIS STUDY 1. Compared to elections in the past, do you think the news media should focus more or less attention on each of the following during the presidential primary campaign? [note: random order administration] 1. Each candidates' vision for the country's future? 1-More attention 2-Less attention 3-Same amount of attention as past elections 2. The experience of the candidates? 3. The personal lives of the candidates? 4. Poll results which show which candidate is leading in the race? 5. The special interest groups and PACs which provide financial support to the candidates? ______________________________________________________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PERCEPTION OF MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS Most Important Problem in New Hampshire Respondents were asked to identify the most important problem facing the state of New Hampshire today. This question was asked using and open-ended format in order to obtain unaided responses. As shown in TABLE 1, taxes top the worry list, identified as the most important problem in New Hampshire today by one-fourth (25%) of adult citizens. Unemployment and/or jobs (16%) shows up next on the list, followed closely by the economy (14%) and education (12%). Notice that many issues often considered important do not show up near the top of the list of most important problems. Welfare and welfare reform, for example, is identified as the most important problem by only 2 percent of citizens. The abortion issue (1%) also shows up low on the list. Respondents were also asked a follow-up question about the second most important problem facing the state of New Hampshire. Again, concerns remained focused on the top four issues, including taxes, unemployment and jobs, the economy, and education. Most Important Problem in the United States Respondents were also asked to identify the most important problem facing the United Stated today. These results provide an interesting counter-point to the results for the state of New Hampshire. As shown in TABLE 2, the economy tops the list, identified as the most important problem facing the United States today by 18 percent of citizens. Crime is second on the list, identified by 10 percent of respondents. Unemployment and/or jobs is identified as the most important problem by 7 percent of respondents. Interestingly, morality and ethics (7%) shows up relatively high on the list of important problems in the country. The next items on the list include health care (6%), education (4%), the federal deficit (4%), family values (3%), welfare (3%), and drugs and alcohol (3%). The emphasis on morality, ethics, and family values suggests that character issues may play an important role during the upcoming presidential primary campaign. The results to these questions were compared by party and ideology, but few differences were found. For example, Democrats and self- identified liberals are more likely to identify health care as an important issue. The morality, ethics, and family values issues, on the other hand, are more important to Republicans and self- identified conservatives. _____________________________ TABLE 1 MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS FACING NEW HAMPSHIRE TODAY Mentioned Mentioned Mentioned 1st 2nd 1st or 2nd Taxes 25% 10% 35 Unemployment/Jobs 16 8 24 Economy 14 10 24 Education 12 11 23 Crime/Gangs 3 3 6 State Government Spending 2 2 4 Environment 2 3 5 Welfare 2 2 4 Health Care 2 2 4 Abortion 1 1 2 Drugs/Alcohol 1 2 3 Transportation 1 1 2 Morality/Ethics 1 2 3 Poverty 1 1 2 Family/Family Values 1 1 2 Terrorism 0 0 0 AIDS 0 1 1 Gun Control 0 1 1 Other 6 6 12 None Mentioned 10 33 TOTAL 100% 100% CASES = 512 _____________________________ TABLE 2 MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS FACING THE UNITED STATES TODAY Mentioned Mentioned Mentioned 1st 2nd 1st or 2nd Economy 18% 10% 28 Crime/Gangs 10 8 18 Unemployment/Jobs 7 6 13 Morality/Ethics 7 3 10 Health Care 6 5 11 Education 4 7 11 Federal Deficit 4 3 7 Family/Family Values 3 3 6 Welfare 3 3 6 Drugs/Alcohol 3 2 5 Taxes 2 5 7 AIDS 2 1 3 Poverty 2 3 5 Abortion 1 1 2 Environment 1 2 3 Terrorism 1 1 2 Gun Control 1 1 2 Transportation 0 1 1 Other 17 13 30 None Mentioned 8 22 TOTAL 100% 100% CASES = 512 ____________________________ QUESTIONS USED IN THIS STUDY 1. What do you consider the most important problem facing New Hampshire today? DO NOT READ 1) Unemployment/Jobs 10) Drugs/Alcohol 2) Economy 11) Transportation 3) State Govt Spending 12) Environment 4) Taxes 13) Terrorism 5) Welfare 14) Morality/Ethics 6) Health Care 15) AIDS 7) Crime/Gangs 16) Poverty 8) Education 17) Family/Family values 9) Abortion 18) Gun control 88) OTHER 99) No Answer 2. What do you consider the second most important problem facing New Hampshire today? DO NOT READ 1) Unemployment/Jobs 10) Drugs/Alcohol 2) Economy 11) Transportation 3) State Govt Spending 12) Environment 4) Taxes 13) Terrorism 5) Welfare 14) Morality/Ethics 6) Health Care 15) AIDS 7) Crime/Gangs 16) Poverty 8) Education 17) Family/Family values 9) Abortion 18) Gun control 88) OTHER 99) No Answer ____________________________ QUESTIONS USED IN THIS STUDY 3. What do you consider the most important problem facing the United States today? DO NOT READ 1) Unemployment/Jobs 10) Drugs/Alcohol 2) Economy 11) Transportation 3) State Govt Spending 12) Environment 4) Taxes 13) Terrorism 5) Welfare 14) Morality/Ethics 6) Health Care 15) AIDS 7) Crime/Gangs 16) Poverty 8) Education 17) Family/Family values 9) Abortion 18) Gun control 88) OTHER 99) No Answer 4. What do you consider the second most important problem facing the United States today? DO NOT READ 1) Unemployment/Jobs 10) Drugs/Alcohol 2) Economy 11) Transportation 3) State Govt Spending 12) Environment 4) Taxes 13) Terrorism 5) Welfare 14) Morality/Ethics 6) Health Care 15) AIDS 7) Crime/Gangs 16) Poverty 8) Education 17) Family/Family values 9) Abortion 18) Gun control 88) OTHER 99) No Answer