NYS Poll:  Governor Spitzer’s Approval Rating

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Friday January 25, 2008

All references must be sourced WNBC/Marist Poll

 

Contact:        Dr. Lee M. Miringoff

Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho

Marist College

845.575.5050

This WNBC/Marist Poll of New York State reports:

Governor Spitzer’s First Year

·             A majority of New York State registered voters give Governor Spitzer a “thumbs down.”  56% of registered voters do not approve of the job Eliot Spitzer is doing as governor and rate his performance in office as fair or poor.  His approval rating stands at 35% among the state’s electorate.  Only 5% of voters say he is doing an excellent job as governor, and 30% rate his performance as good.  9% of registered voters are unsure how to rate the governor.

 

Question Wording: Would you rate the job Governor Eliot Spitzer is doing in office as excellent, good, fair, or poor?

 

 

Registered Voters

Excellent/

Good

 

Excellent

 

Good

 

Fair

 

Poor

 

Unsure

January 2008

35%

  5%

30%

41%

15%

  9%

Previous Ratings

 

 

 

 

 

 

  July 2007

47%

  7%

40%

31%

13%

  9%

  March 2007

43%

  8%

35%

30%

  8%

19%

 

·             The governor’s approval rating is low across party and region.  Although Governor Spitzer receives his highest ratings from Democrats and in New York City, fewer than half of these voters rate Eliot Spitzer’s performance as governor as either excellent or good.   Only 42% of Democrats, 38% of non-enrolled voters, and 23% of registered Republicans rate the job he is doing as governor as excellent or good.  In New York City, 43% of voters approve of his job performance compared with 32% of voters upstate, and 29% of suburban voters.

 

Question Wording: Would you rate the job Governor Eliot Spitzer is doing in office as excellent, good, fair, or poor?

 

 

Registered Voters

Excellent/

Good

 

Excellent

 

Good

 

Fair

 

Poor

 

Unsure

January 2008

35%

  5%

30%

41%

15%

  9%

Party

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Democrat

42%

  7%

35%

39%

10%

  9%

  Republican

23%

  1%

22%

41%

27%

  9%

  Non-enrolled

38%

  5%

33%

43%

11%

  8%

Region

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Upstate

32%

  3%

29%

44%

16%

  8%

  New York City

43%

  9%

34%

32%

15%

10%

  Suburbs

29%

  2%

27%

45%

17%

  9%

Nature of the Sample:  1,467 New York State Registered Voters

This survey of 1,467 New York State registered voters was conducted January 15th through January 17th, 2008.  Registered voters were interviewed by telephone in proportion to the voter registration in each county in New York State and adjusted for turnout in statewide elections.  The margin of error is ±3%.  The error margin increases for cross-tabulations.