The poll of 500 likely Monroe County voters was conducted Oct. 17-19 for Voice of the Voter by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc., of Washington, D.C. The margin for error is plus or minus 4.5 percent. Voice of the Voter is a collaborative effort among the Democrat and Chronicle, WXXI (Channel 21 and AM 1370), WHAM-TV (Channel 13) and WDKX-FM (103.9). It seeks to inform citizens and give them a voice in the election process. The effort is funded by a Rochester Area Community Foundation grant.
The cross-tabulation data (click here for PDF) shows more details about the results of the poll, breaking down the responses by category such as age, gender, race, and party affiliation. Care should be taken in interpreting the cross-tabulation data because the smaller the sample, the greater the margin of error. So beware drawing large conclusions out of small data sets.
Click here to view results from the 2010 Voice of the Voter Poll.
MONROE COUNTY, NY VOTER POLL – OCTOBER 2011
QUESTION: I’m going to read a list of political candidates please tell me if you recognize the name.
Do you recognize the name _________? (IF YES) Do you have a favorable, unfavorable or neutral opinion of ________? [ROTATE ORDER]
FAVORABLE | UNFAVORABLE | NEUTRAL | DON’T RECOGNIZE | |
Maggie Brooks | 59% | 14% | 26% | 1% |
Sandra Frankel | 24% | 16% | 39% | 21% |
Sandra Doorley | 11% | 3% | 24% | 62% |
Bill Taylor. | 14% | 4% | 33% | 49% |
QUESTION: If the election for Monroe County Executive were held today, would you vote for Sandy Frankel, the Democrat or Maggie Brooks, the Republican?
Sandra Frankel, Democrat | 35% |
Maggie Brooks, Republican | 51% |
Undecided | 13% |
QUESTION: If the election for Monroe County District Attorney were held today, would you vote for Sandra Doorley, the Democrat, or Bill Taylor, the Republican?
Sandra Doorley, Democrat | 31% |
Bill Taylor. Republican | 40% |
Undecided | 29% |
QUESTION: Now I’d like to read a brief list of public officials and institutions. After I read each, please tell me if you would rate their job performance as excellent, good, just fair or poor? The first/next is: ___________________
[ORDER ROTATED] | EXCELLENT | GOOD | JUST FAIR | POOR | NOT SURE |
Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards | 7% | 44% | 34% | 7% | 8% |
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks | 20% | 37% | 28% | 15% | - |
Rochester Schools Superintendent | 5% | 24% | 34% | 16% | 21% |
President Barack Obama | 16% | 29% | 21% | 34% | - |
Governor Andrew Cuomo | 21% | 51% | 21% | 7% | - |
New York State Assembly | 1% | 18% | 43% | 32% | 6% |
New York State Senate | - | 18% | 42% | 34% | 6% |
United States House of Representatives | 4% | 21% | 32% | 43% | - |
United States Senate | 3% | 15% | 36% | 45% | 1% |
Rochester School Board | 1% | 14% | 33% | 34% | 18% |
Rochester City Council | 2% | 21% | 42% | 19% | 16% |
Monroe County Legislature | 1% | 32% | 43% | 16% | 8% |
QUESTION: Generally, do you think that the United States is heading in the right direction, or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION | 27% |
WRONG TRACK | 69% |
NOT SURE | 4% |
QUESTION: Generally, do you think that New York State is heading in the right direction, or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION | 45% |
WRONG TRACK | 52% |
NOT SURE | 3% |
QUESTION: Generally, do you think that Monroe County is heading in the right direction, or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION | 56% |
WRONG TRACK | 41% |
NOT SURE | 3% |
QUESTION: And generally, do you think that the City of Rochester is heading in the right direction, or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION | 43% |
WRONG TRACK | 55% |
NOT SURE | 2% |
QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important issue facing the country today? [NOT READ]
JOBS AND THE ECONOMY | 67% |
WALL STREET/FINANCIAL CRISIS/ CREDIT/BANKING CRISIS | 2% |
NATIONAL DEBT/SIZE OF GOVERNMENT/SPENDING & TAXES | 16% |
WARS/TERRORISM/NATIONAL SECURITY | 5% |
HEALTH CARE | 5% |
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION | 1% |
MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY | - |
MORAL & FAMILY VALUES | 1% |
SOCIAL ISSUES/POVERTY | 1% |
HOUSING MARKET/FORCLOSURES | - |
ENERGY AND GAS PRICES | - |
ENVIRONMENT – GLOBAL WARMING | - |
OTHER | 2% |
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED | 1% |
QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important issue facing New York State today? [NOT READ]
POOR ECONOMY- SUSTAINING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-JOBS | 58% |
WALL STREET CRISIS – CREDIT CRISIS – BANKING CRISIS | - |
MANAGING GROWTH-SPRAWL- DEVELOPMENT | - |
CRIME / DRUGS | 2% |
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT/HYDROFRACKING FOR NATURAL GAS | - |
HIGH TAXES AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING | 23% |
TRAFFIC-ROADS-TRANSPORTATION ISSUES | 1% |
EDUCATION ISSUES | 7% |
QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY | 3% |
MORAL ISSUES/FAMILY VALUES/SOCIAL ISSUES | 1% |
HEALTH CARE | 1% |
DYSFUNCTION IN ALBANY/ ETHICS/ PARTISAN POLITICS/POOR LEADERSHIP | 1% |
CIVIL RIGHTS / RACE RELATIONS | - |
OTHER | - |
NOT SURE | 1% |
QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important local issue facing Monroe County and the City of Rochester today? [NOT READ]
EDUCATION ISSUES | 19% |
POOR ECONOMY- SUSTAINING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-JOBS | 42% |
MANAGING GROWTH/SPRAWL/ | - |
CRIME / DRUGS | 11% |
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT/HYDROFRACKING FOR NATURAL GAS | - |
HIGH TAXES AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING | 13% |
TRAFFIC-ROADS-TRANSPORTATION ISSUES | 1% |
REVITALIZE/DEVELOP DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER – [SPECIFIC MENTION] | 4% |
QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY | 6% |
MORAL ISSUES/FAMILY VALUES/SOCIAL ISSUES | - |
HEALTH CARE | - |
CIVIL RIGHTS / RACE RELATIONS | - |
OTHER | - |
NOT SURE | 2% |
QUESTION: How concerned are you about the security and future of your own job, or the jobs of any close family members in the Rochester area? Are you:
VERY CONCERNED | 39% |
SOMEWHAT CONCERNED | 35% |
NOT TOO CONCERNED | 16% |
NOT AT ALL CONCERNED | 10% |
QUESTION: Four years from now, would you say that your personal financial situation will be better off, worse off, or about the same?
BETTER OFF | 23% |
WORSE OFF | 25% |
ABOUT THE SAME | 47% |
NOT SURE | 5% |
QUESTION: How would you rate economic conditions in Monroe County?
EXCELLENT | 1% |
GOOD | 23% |
ONLY FAIR | 57% |
POOR | 19% |
UNDECIDED (NOT READ) | - |
QUESTION: Five years from now, do you think that the economy in Monroe County will be
better off, worse off, or about the same as it is today?
BETTER OFF | 38% |
WORSE OFF | 12% |
ABOUT THE SAME | 45% |
NOT SURE | 5% |
QUESTION: I’m going to read a brief list of institutions, please tell me how much trust you have in each. That is, a great deal of trust, a fair amount, not too much or not at all.
- FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
A GREAT DEAL | 6% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 36% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 37% |
NOT AT ALL | 21% |
NOT SURE | - |
- STATE GOVERNMENT
A GREAT DEAL | 6% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 48% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 37% |
NOT AT ALL | 9% |
NOT SURE | - |
- ROCHESTER CITY GOVERNMENT
A GREAT DEAL | 6% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 43% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 37% |
NOT AT ALL | 9% |
NOT SURE | 5% |
- MONROE COUNTY GOVERNMENT
A GREAT DEAL | 5% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 54% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 31% |
NOT AT ALL | 10% |
NOT SURE | - |
QUESTION: I’m going to list the names of several “regional authorities” and “local development corporations”. After I read the name please tell me how much confidence you have in the financial and operational management each.
- MONROE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY.
A GREAT DEAL | 13% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 50% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 21% |
NOT AT ALL | 12% |
NOT SURE | 4% |
- UPSTATE TELECOMMUNICATION CORPORATION.
A GREAT DEAL | 7% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 34% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 18% |
NOT AT ALL | 8% |
NOT SURE | 33% |
- ROCHESTER - GENESEE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
A GREAT DEAL | 20% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 52% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 10% |
NOT AT ALL | 7% |
NOT SURE | 11% |
- ROCHESTER HOUSING AUTHORITY.
A GREAT DEAL | 8% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 43% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 21% |
NOT AT ALL | 10% |
NOT SURE | 18% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose repealing the health care reform law approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama?
SUPPORT REPEAL | 50% |
OPPOSE REPEAL | 43% |
UNDECIDED | 7% |
QUESTION: How much influence will a candidate’s position on whether to keep or repeal the health care reform law have on your vote for congressional and presidential candidates in the 2012 primary and general elections?
A GREAT DEAL | 48% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 33% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 14% |
NOT AT ALL | 5% |
NOT SURE | - |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose raising taxes on individuals whose income is a million dollars or more per year?
SUPPORT | 62% |
OPPOSE | 34% |
UNDECIDED | 4% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose mayoral control of the Rochester School District?
SUPPORT | 38% |
OPPOSE | 50% |
UNDECIDED | 12% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose wine sales in grocery stores?
SUPPORT | 51% |
OPPOSE | 45% |
UNDECIDED | 4% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose state efforts to collect state taxes on tobacco sales in Native American reservations made to non-Native American?
SUPPORT | 46% |
OPPOSE | 50% |
UNDECIDED | 4% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose increased public funding for programs to fight childhood obesity?
SUPPORT | 57% |
OPPOSE | 40% |
UNDECIDED | 3% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose using “Hydro-fracking” to drill for natural gas in New York State?
SUPPORT | 55% |
OPPOSE | 35% |
UNDECIDED | 10% |
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose allowing the Seneca Nation tribe to build and operate a casino in the city of Rochester?
SUPPORT | 50% |
OPPOSE | 48% |
UNDECIDED | 2% |
QUESTION: Do you feel that budget cuts have or have not affected the quality of education your area school district?
HAVE | 53% |
HAVE NOT | 35% |
NOT SURE | 12% |
QUESTION: How much confidence do you have that there will be significant development in downtown Rochester within the next five years?
A GREAT DEAL | 11% |
A FAIR AMOUNT | 31% |
NOT TOO MUCH | 42% |
NOT AT ALL | 15% |
NOT SURE | 1% |
Finally, just a few last questions about you and your household:
- What is your current official party voter registration?
DEMOCRAT | 192 | 38% |
REPUBLICAN | 153 | 31% |
INDEPENDENT – NON-AFFILIATED | 128 | 26% |
CONSERVATIVE PARTY | 10 | 2% |
TEA PARTY | 1 | - |
OTHER/REFUSED | 16 | 3% |
- Do you currently live within the City of Rochester, or in one of the surrounding suburbs?
CITY ROCHESTER | 139 | 28% |
SUBURBS | 361 | 72% |
- What is the highest level of education you have completed?
HIGH SCHOOL (OR LESS) | 110 | 22% |
SOME COLLEGE | 111 | 22% |
COLLEGE GRADUATE | 204 | 41% |
GRADUATE DEGREE | 74 | 15% |
REFUSED | 1 | - |
- What is your age?
18-34 | 55 | 11% |
35-49 | 155 | 31% |
50-64 | 163 | 33% |
65+ | 127 | 25% |
- Which of the following best describes your race or ethnicity?
WHITE or CAUCASIAN | 425 | 85% |
BLACK or AFRICAN-AMERICAN | 56 | 11% |
HISPANIC or LATINO | 6 | 1% |
ASIAN or OTHER | 7 | 1% |
REFUSED | 6 | 1% |
- NOTE SEX:
MALE | 247 | 49% |
FEMALE | 253 | 51% |
