Political Issues in the United States
| Dates | Total Online Interviews | ||
| Wave I | 1/4-25/2016 | 1,000 adults | 912 Likely to register to vote |
| Wave II | 6/8-7/5/2016 | 1,000 adults | 845 Likely to vote in November |
| Wave IIIA | 8/15-9/1/2016 | 514 adults | 453 Likely to vote in November |
| Wave IIIB | 9/1-22/2016 | 528 adults | 455 Likely to vote in November |
1. Overall, do you think the country is headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-9/22/16 | |
| 1 Right direction | 42 | 40 | 46 | 33 |
| 2 Wrong Direction | 58 | 60 | 54 | 67 |
3. How satisfied are you with the current process of electing a president in the United States?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| 1 Extremely satisfied | 10 | 10 | 19 | 10 |
| 2 Very satisfied | 22 | 19 | 20 | 14 |
| 3 Somewhat satisfied | 37 | 33 | 28 | 32 |
| 5 Hardly satisfied at all | 18 | 22 | 22 | 25 |
| 6 Not at all satisfied | 13 | 16 | 12 | 19 |
9. If the Presidential election were conducted today, who would you consider voting for? (Select all that apply)
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| Hillary Clinton | 39 | 43 | 53 | 46 |
| Donald Trump | 29 | 34 | 39 | 44 |
| Gary Johnson | 16 | 20 | ||
| Jill Stein | 7 | 8 |
10. Who would be your first choice?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| Hillary Clinton | 29 | 33 | 48 | 42 |
| Donald Trump | 21 | 28 | 36 | 41 |
| Gary Johnson | 11 | 13 | ||
| Jill Stein | 5 | 4 |
10a. Think back to January, before the primary, who was your first choice then?
| 1/4-25/16[1] | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| Joe Biden | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Jeb Bush | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Ben Carson | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| Chris Christie | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Hillary Clinton | 29 | 30 | 31 | 20 |
| Ted Cruz | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 |
| Carly Fiorina | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| John Kasich | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Rand Paul | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Mitt Romney | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Marco Rubio | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Paul Ryan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Bernie Sanders | 15 | 16 | 16 | 21 |
| Donald Trump | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
| Elizabeth Warren | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Gary Johnson | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jill Stein | – | – |
[1] Based on answers in the January survey to “Who would be your first choice”?
10b.If the election were held today, who would you vote for?
| 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| Hillary Clinton | 48 | 44 |
| Donald Trump | 37 | 40 |
| Gary Johnson | 11 | 13 |
| Jill Stein | 3 | 3 |
11. Who do you think is going to win?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| Joe Biden | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hillary Clinton | 42 | 55 | 64 | 59 |
| Mitt Romney | 2 | – | ||
| Paul Ryan | 0 | 1 | ||
| Bernie Sanders | 9 | 6 | ||
| Donald Trump | 28 | 36 | 31 | 37 |
| Elizabeth Warren | – | |||
| Gary Johnson | 3 | 3 | ||
| Jill Stein | 2 | 1 |
14. How would you rate each candidate in terms of being qualified to be President of the United States?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| b. Hillary Clinton | ||||
| 1 Extremely well qualified | 24 | 25 | 34 | 20 |
| 2 Very well qualified | 20 | 19 | 16 | 19 |
| 3 Quite well qualified | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| 4 Somewhat well qualified | 14 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| 5 Not very well qualified | 9 | 11 | 7 | 14 |
| 6 Not at all qualified | 23 | 23 | 22 | 25 |
| f. Donald Trump | ||||
| 1 Extremely well qualified | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
| 2 Very well qualified | 12 | 13 | 15 | 10 |
| 3 Quite well qualified | 13 | 11 | 10 | 13 |
| 4 Somewhat well qualified | 11 | 12 | 15 | 14 |
| 5 Not very well qualified | 11 | 13 | 16 | 15 |
| 6 Not at all qualified | 39 | 39 | 32 | 38 |
| h. Gary Johnson | ||||
| 1 Extremely well qualified | 7 | 3 | ||
| 2 Very well qualified | 15 | 8 | ||
| 3 Quite well qualified | 19 | 14 | ||
| 4 Somewhat well qualified | 28 | 32 | ||
| 5 Not very well qualified | 18 | 27 | ||
| 6 Not at all qualified | 14 | 16 | ||
| i. Jill Stein | ||||
| 1 Extremely well qualified | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2 Very well qualified | 12 | 6 | ||
| 3 Quite well qualified | 16 | 9 | ||
| 4 Somewhat well qualified | 22 | 32 | ||
| 5 Not very well qualified | 26 | 29 | ||
| 6 Not at all qualified | 17 | 22 |
15. How would you rate each candidate on their likeability?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| b. Hillary Clinton | ||||
| 1 Extremely likeable | 18 | 18 | 26 | 11 |
| 2 Very likeable | 16 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| 3 Quite likeable | 14 | 14 | 10 | 12 |
| 4 Somewhat likeable | 17 | 13 | 12 | 18 |
| 5 Not very likable | 11 | 14 | 10 | 14 |
| 6 Not at all likeable | 24 | 27 | 29 | 31 |
| f. Donald Trump | ||||
| 1 Extremely likeable | 13 | 12 | 13 | 9 |
| 2 Very likeable | 10 | 13 | 10 | 10 |
| 3 Quite likeable | 14 | 9 | 12 | 9 |
| 4 Somewhat likeable | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 |
| 5 Not very likable | 13 | 14 | 15 | 19 |
| 6 Not at all likeable | 36 | 40 | 36 | 38 |
| h. Gary Johnson | ||||
| 1 Extremely likeable | 9 | 4 | ||
| 2 Very likeable | 16 | 11 | ||
| 3 Quite likeable | 20 | 20 | ||
| 4 Somewhat likeable | 37 | 40 | ||
| 5 Not very likable | 9 | 16 | ||
| 6 Not at all likeable | 9 | 8 | ||
| i. Jill Stein | ||||
| 1 Extremely likeable | 8 | 3 | ||
| 2 Very likeable | 13 | 8 | ||
| 3 Quite likeable | 21 | 18 | ||
| 4 Somewhat likeable | 35 | 41 | ||
| 5 Not very likable | 12 | 19 | ||
| 6 Not at all likeable | 11 | 11 |
16. How would you rate each candidate on his or her honesty and integrity?
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| b. Hillary Clinton | ||||
| 1 Extremely honest | 14 | 12 | 22 | 9 |
| 2 Very honest | 12 | 14 | 12 | 8 |
| 3 Quite honest | 15 | 12 | 10 | 13 |
| 4 Somewhat honest | 15 | 15 | 9 | 13 |
| 5 Not very honest | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 |
| 6 Not at all honest | 31 | 34 | 34 | 41 |
| f. Donald Trump | ||||
| 1 Extremely honest | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 |
| 2 Very honest | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 |
| 3 Quite honest | 13 | 10 | 14 | 15 |
| 4 Somewhat honest | 12 | 14 | 18 | 16 |
| 5 Not very honest | 13 | 11 | 16 | 16 |
| 6 Not at all honest | 34 | 38 | 28 | 35 |
| h. Gary Johnson | ||||
| 1 Extremely honest | 9 | 6 | ||
| 2 Very honest | 15 | 9 | ||
| 3 Quite honest | 23 | 26 | ||
| 4 Somewhat honest | 39 | 42 | ||
| 5 Not very honest | 9 | 9 | ||
| 6 Not at all honest | 6 | 9 | ||
| i. Jill Stein | ||||
| 1 Extremely honest | 9 | 5 | ||
| 2 Very honest | 13 | 9 | ||
| 3 Quite honest | 23 | 24 | ||
| 4 Somewhat honest | 38 | 42 | ||
| 5 Not very honest | 9 | 12 | ||
| 6 Not at all honest | 8 | 8 |
17. How would you rate each of these candidates on their ability to handle domestic policy? (e.g. economy, health care, immigration etc.)
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| b. Hillary Clinton | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 22 | 21 | 31 | 19 |
| 2 Very good | 21 | 20 | 17 | 18 |
| 3 Good | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 |
| 4 Fair | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 |
| 5 Poor | 26 | 29 | 26 | 35 |
| f. Donald Trump | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
| 2 Very good | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
| 3 Good | 18 | 13 | 16 | 17 |
| 4 Fair | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 |
| 5 Poor | 39 | 42 | 37 | 40 |
| h. Gary Johnson | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 8 | 5 | ||
| 2 Very good | 19 | 12 | ||
| 3 Good | 33 | 33 | ||
| 4 Fair | 28 | 34 | ||
| 5 Poor | 11 | 17 | ||
| i. Jill Stein | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 7 | 3 | ||
| 2 Very good | 13 | 8 | ||
| 3 Good | 33 | 33 | ||
| 4 Fair | 31 | 37 | ||
| 5 Poor | 15 | 19 |
18. How would you rate each of these candidates on their ability to handle foreign policy? (e.g. foreign relations, trade, terrorism)
| 1/4-25/16 | 6/8-7/5/16 | 8/15-9/1/16 | 9/1-22/16 | |
| b. Hillary Clinton | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 22 | 23 | 33 | 20 |
| 2 Very good | 16 | 19 | 15 | 18 |
| 3 Good | 16 | 14 | 12 | 15 |
| 4 Fair | 16 | 14 | 11 | 13 |
| 5 Poor | 30 | 30 | 28 | 35 |
| f. Donald Trump | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
| 2 Very good | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
| 3 Good | 14 | 14 | 19 | 15 |
| 4 Fair | 15 | 12 | 16 | 16 |
| 5 Poor | 42 | 46 | 39 | 45 |
| h. Gary Johnson | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 7 | 4 | ||
| 2 Very good | 18 | 10 | ||
| 3 Good | 30 | 30 | ||
| 4 Fair | 30 | 33 | ||
| 5 Poor | 15 | 22 | ||
| i. Jill Stein | ||||
| 1 Excellent | 7 | 3 | ||
| 2 Very good | 12 | 8 | ||
| 3 Good | 30 | 28 | ||
| 4 Fair | 35 | 37 | ||
| 5 Poor | 16 | 24 |