Survey: Delawareans rank jobs and public safety as top issues

For more information or to discuss the results, contact: Peter Bothum, Office of Communications and Public Affairs (302) 831-1418

A University of Delaware Center for Political Communication survey finds that jobs and public safety are the top concerns of Delawareans as Election Day approaches. Of the respondents, 20% name jobs, unemployment, or wages as the most important problem facing Delaware. Another 20% name crime or public safety issues as their top concern. Education follows with 10%, and 7% say that the economy is the state's most important problem. The representative telephone survey, conducted on September 16-28, 2016, interviewed 900 registered Delaware voters by landline and cell phone.

The survey also asked for opinions about several key issues in state and national election campaigns. Of those surveyed, 61% favor making the use of marijuana legal, compared to only 35% opposed. Fully 55% favor the death penalty for murder, versus 40% opposed. A clear majority (59%) favor an increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour, with 40% opposed. A smaller majority (52%) approve of the health care law passed by Barack Obama and Congress in 2010, with 46% disapproving it.

Many of those surveyed express concerns about the integrity of the election process. Large majorities say they are very or somewhat concerned about voter fraud (65%), the election being rigged (61%), hackers breaking into computers of political parties or campaigns (74%), and hackers breaking into computers of state election systems (75%).  

About the study

The National Agenda Opinion Project research was funded by the University of Delaware's Center for Political Communication (CPC) and the William P. Frank Foundation. The study was supervised by the CPC's Research Director, Paul Brewer, a professor in the Departments of Communication and Political Science & International Relations.

Results are based on telephone interviews with a representative sample of 900 registered voters. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline (450) and cell phone (450, including 187 without a landline). The survey was conducted from September 16-28, 2016, by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is ± 3.8 percentage points.

Readers should be aware that in addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

Please contact Paul Brewer at prbrewer@udel.edu for more details about the survey's methodology.