The poll of 500 registered voters in the Monroe County was conducted from October 13 to October 16, 2014 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%. 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 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.
Click here to view results from the 2013 Voice of the Voter Poll, 2012 Voice of the Voter Poll, the 2011 Voice of the Voter Poll or the 2010 Voice of the Voter Poll.
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?
TOTAL TOTAL
EXCELLENT GOOD POSITIVE JUST FAIR POOR NEGATIVE NOT SURE
ROCHESTER MAYOR
LOVELY WARREN 3% 22% 25% 43% 20% 63% 12%
MONROE CO. EXECUTIVE
MAGGIE BROOKS 6% 37% 43% 32% 25% 57% -
ROCHESTER SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT
BOLGEN VARGAS 5% 21% 26% 27% 31% 58% 16%
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA 10% 34% 44% 16% 40% 56% -
GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO 15% 32% 47% 29% 22% 51% 2%
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY 3% 17% 20% 47% 26% 73% 7%
NEW YORK STATE SENATE 1% 20% 21% 47% 27% 74% 5%
US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1% 21% 22% 35% 40% 75% 3%
UNITED STATES SENATE - 18% 18% 38% 41% 79% 3%
QUESTION: Generally, do you think that the United States is heading in the right direction,
or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION 28%
WRONG TRACK 64%
NOT SURE 8%
QUESTION: Generally, do you think that New York State is heading in the right direction,
or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION 40%
WRONG TRACK 55%
NOT SURE 5%
QUESTION: Generally, do you think that Monroe County is heading in the right direction,
or are things on the wrong track?
RIGHT DIRECTION 48%
WRONG TRACK 42%
NOT SURE 10%
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 39%
WRONG TRACK 47%
NOT SURE 14%
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES: COUNTRY
QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important issue facing the country today? [NOT READ]
ISIS/IRAQ/TERRORISM 28%
JOBS AND THE ECONOMY 22%
EBOLA 22%
HEALTH CARE 7%
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION 5%
TAXES & GOVERNMENT SPENDING 4%
MORAL & FAMILY VALUES 4%
SOCIAL ISSUES/POVERTY 2%
ENVIRONMENT – GLOBAL WARMING 2%
MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY 1%
ENERGY AND GAS PRICES 1%
OTHER 1%
DON'T KNOW/REFUSED 1%
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES: STATE
QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important issue facing New York State today? [NOT READ]
POOR ECONOMY- SUSTAINING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-JOBS 35%
HIGH TAXES AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING 31%
EDUCATION ISSUES 8%
DYSFUNCTION IN ALBANY/ ETHICS/
PARTISAN POLITICS/POOR LEADERSHIP 6%
HEALTH CARE 5%
CRIME / DRUGS 3%
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT/
HYDROFRACKING FOR NATURAL GAS 2%
MANAGING GROWTH-SPRAWL- DEVELOPMENT 1%
TRAFFIC-ROADS-TRANSPORTATION ISSUES 1%
QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY 1%
MORAL ISSUES/FAMILY VALUES/SOCIAL ISSUES 1%
OTHER 4%
NOT SURE 3%
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES: LOCAL
QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important local issue facing Monroe County and
the City of Rochester today? [NOT READ]
POOR ECONOMY- SUSTAINING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT-JOBS 33%
HIGH TAXES AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING 18%
EDUCATION ISSUES 13%
CRIME / DRUGS 11%
TRAFFIC-ROADS-TRANSPORTATION ISSUES 4%
MANAGING GROWTH/SPRAWL 3%
MORAL ISSUES/FAMILY VALUES/SOCIAL ISSUES 3%
REVITALIZE/DEVELOP DOWNTOWN ROCHESTER 2%
QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY 2%
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT/HYDROFRACKING FOR NATURAL GAS 1%
HEALTH CARE 1%
CIVIL RIGHTS / RACE RELATIONS -
OTHER 4%
NOT SURE 5%
HEALTH CARE:
QUESTION: So far, would you say the health care law has directly helped you and
your family, directly hurt you and your family, or has it not had a direct impact?
HELPED 17%
HURT 33%
NO IMPACT 49%
BOTH -
NOT SURE 1%
FRACKING:
QUESTION: Do you think that New York state’s decision to approve or prohibit fracking
for natural gas is being delayed for political purposes?
YES 63%
NO 26%
NOT SURE 11%
CASINOS:
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose a Native American Casino being built and operated in Monroe County?
SUPPORT 39%
OPPOSE 52%
UNDECIDED 9%
BILLS STADIUM & PUBLIC FUNDS:
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose the use of New York State public funds being used to
help construct a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills
SUPPORT 24%
OPPOSE 71%
UNDECIDED 5%
TRUST IN GOVERNMENT/CORRUPTION:
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 4%
A FAIR AMOUNT 38%
NOT TOO MUCH 33%
NOT AT ALL 25%
NOT SURE -
STATE GOVERNMENT
A GREAT DEAL -
A FAIR AMOUNT 49%
NOT TOO MUCH 27%
NOT AT ALL 24%
NOT SURE -
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
A GREAT DEAL 3%
A FAIR AMOUNT 63%
NOT TOO MUCH 18%
NOT AT ALL 15%
NOT SURE 2%
VIOLENT CRIMINALS & PAROLE:
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose abolishing parole for criminals that commit serious violent
crimes like rape and murder?
SUPPORT 58%
OPPOSE 35%
UNDECIDED 7%
ECONOMY & JOBS:
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?
VERY CONCERNED 32%
SOMEWHAT CONCERNED 42%
NOT TOO CONCERNED 18%
NOT AT ALL CONCERNED 7%
NOT SURE 1%
QUESTION: How would you rate the economic conditions in Rochester, Monroe and the surrounding area:
excellent, good, just fair or poor?
EXCELLENT -
GOOD 25%
ONLY FAIR 54%
POOR 21%
NOT SURE -
MINIMUM WAGE:
QUESTION: By the end of 2015 the minimum wage in New York State will be increased to nine dollars
an hour ($9). Do you think the increase to nine dollars ($9.00) is too much, too little or about right?
TOO MUCH 18%
ABOUT RIGHT 41%
TOO LOW 38%
NOT SURE 3%
QUESTION: Do you consider nine dollars ($9.00) an hour to be a “living wage”?
YES 15%
NO 78%
NOT SURE 7%
RACE RELATIONS:
QUESTION: How would you rate race relations between whites and blacks in Monroe County and
the City of Rochester?
EXCELLENT 1%
GOOD 25%
ONLY FAIR 51%
POOR 18%
UNDECIDED 5%
SAFE ACT:
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose New York State’s “Safe Act” law which regulates the sale and
ownership of firearms?
SUPPORT 48%
OPPOSE 48%
UNDECIDED 4%
CORE STANDARDS:
QUESTION: Do you support or oppose the public education standards mandated by the federally CORE Act?
SUPPORT 27%
OPPOSE 53%
UNDECIDED 20%
DEMOGRAPHICS:
- What is your current official party voter registration?
DEMOCRAT 40%
REPUBLICAN 30%
INDEPENDENT/NON-AFFILIATED 22%
OTHER 7%
- Do you currently live within the City of Rochester, or in one of the surrounding suburbs?
CITY ROCHESTER 27%
SUBURBS 73%
- What is the highest level of education you have completed?
HIGH SCHOOL (OR LESS) 22%
SOME COLLEGE 27%
COLLEGE GRADUATE 37%
GRADUATE DEGREE 13%
REFUSED -
- What is your age?
18-34 16%
35-49 28%
50-64 27%
65+ 28%
REFUSED 1%
- Which of the following best describes your race or ethnicity?
WHITE or CAUCASIAN 78%
BLACK or AFRICAN-AMERICAN 13%
HISPANIC or LATINO 5%
ASIAN or OTHER 2%
REFUSED 2%
- NOTE SEX:
MALE 49%
FEMALE 51%
