Background Memo
The most recent poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind was conducted by telephone from January 4 through January 11 using a statewide, randomly selected sample of 600 registered voters in New Jersey aged 18 and over. The sampling error for 600 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 wording of the questions included in this release are as follows:
In your opinion, do you believe that the country is moving in the right direction or do you believe it has gotten off on the wrong track?
How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing as President—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
As you know, there will be an election for President next year. If the election were held today, and George Bush were the Republican candidate, would you vote for him or would you vote for his Democratic opponent, or someone else?
Now, if his Democratic opponent were…[rotate
list] … who would you vote for?
Howard
Dean
Wesley
Clark
Joe
Lieberman
John Kerry
Dick
Gephardt
Al Sharpton
How well is the U.S. military effort in Iraq going…?
Would you say the U.S. military effort in Iraq has gone better or worse than you expected?
Considering everything, do you think the United States did the right thing in going to war with Iraq, or do you think it was a mistake?
Which are you following more closely—the war in Iraq or the status of the economy?
In
deciding who to vote for for President, which is more important
to you, the candidate's position on…[ROTATE] or …?
foreign
policy and the war in Iraq
the economy
see also:
Survey Analysis
Thigpen's Analysis
Salmore's Analysis
Tabular Results