Background Memo  

The most recent survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind was conducted by telephone from September 21 through September 26 using a randomly selected sample of 635 registered, likely voters statewide aged 18 and over. The sampling error for 635 adults is +/- 4 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling error. This kind of error, which cannot be measured, arises from a number of factors including, but not limited to, non-response (eligible individuals refusing to be interviewed), question wording, the order in which questions are asked, and variations among interviewers. All PublicMind interviews are conducted by TMR, Inc. of Cedar Knolls, NJ. Professionally trained interviewers use a CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) system. Random selection is achieved through computerized random-digit dialing. This technique gives every person with a phone number (including those with unlisted numbers) an equal chance of being selected.

The questions included in this release are as follows:

Question: Now, turning to New Jersey… In your opinion, do you think things in New Jersey are moving in the right direction or do you think the state has gotten off on the wrong track?

Question: Have you heard of [rotate list]? If you haven't just tell me. [If yes, ask:] Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of …? Would that be very or somewhat?

• Doug Forrester
• Jon Corzine
• Richard Codey
• Hector Castillo
• Jeffrey Pawlowski

Question: How would you rate the job Richard Codey is doing as governor—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

Question: If the election for Governor of New Jersey were held right now, and you had to hake a choice, which of the following …or … would you vote for? [If “unsure” ask:] Which way do you lean…?

• Jon Corzine, the Democratic candidate
• Doug Forrester, the Republican candidate
• Other

Question: Which candidate for governor… or … is best described by…?

• Honest, trustworthy
• Can do something about high property taxes?
• Understands the concerns of the average person
• Has the background and experience to be a good governor
• Negative campaigner
• Independent of the party bosses and large campaign contributors

Question: Are you satisfied with the choice of candidates you have for governor in this election or do you wish there were different candidates?

Question: Now, regardless of which candidate you want to win, if you had to guess, who would you say is going to win the election for governor in November… or …?

• Doug Forrester
• Jon Corzine

Question: Do you expect it to be close or not very close?

Question: How much of a difference will it make that one candidate is elected rather than the other?

Question: This November in New Jersey there will also be an election for the state assembly. If that election were held today, do you think you’d be voting for the … or …. candidates

• Republican
• Democrat

see also:
Survey Analysis
Democratic Analysis
Republican Analysis
Tabular Results