Background Memo  

The most recent survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind was conducted by telephone from November 15 through November 20 using a randomly selected sample of 535 registered voters statewide aged 18 and over.  The sampling error for 535 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?

• Richard Codey
• Jon Corzine

Question: Now that Jon Corzine has been elected governor, he must leave the US Senate and appoint someone to complete his term. Let me read a list of six Democrats and ask you who you might suggest be the first and second choice to fill that US Senate seat for New Jersey:  [THEN ASK: “Who would be your second choice?]

• Richard Codey
• Rob Andrews
• Bob Menendez
• Frank Pallone
• Rush Holt
• Nia Gill

see also:
Survey Analysis
Tabular Results