|
Para ver esta página en español, oprima aquí.
PUERTO RICO HERALD
New Puerto Rico Herald Poll Shows Big Lead for Pedro Rosselló & Luis Fortuño
October 15, 2004
Copyright © 2004 PUERTO RICO HERALD. All rights reserved.
With the general election in Puerto Rico just eighteen days away, this issue of the Puerto Rico Herald reports the first of what will be three public opinion surveys designed to track voter preferences and public perceptions of pressing issues facing island residents. The telephone survey, conducted by Opinion Dynamics Corporation, October 11-14, 2004, interviewed 810 persons, randomly selected throughout the island. The sample included 46% male and 54% female respondents. The poll’s margin of error is +/- 3%.
In an initial question 92% of respondents said that they will - or are very likely to - vote on November 2nd. From the entire sample, 38% of respondents identified themselves as preferring the New Progressive Party (NPP), 30% the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) and 3% the Puerto Rico Independence Party (PIP). The remainder chose "other," or declined to answer the question.
Interviewees were asked, if the election were to have been held at the time of the interview, for whom they would vote to fill the island’s top spots of Governor and Resident Commissioner.
WHO WOULD YOU VOTE FOR?
For Governor
NPP Pedro Rosselló 42%
PDP Aníbal Acevedo Vilá 35%
PIP Rubén Berríos 4 %
UNDECIDED 19%
For Resident Commissioner
NPP Luis Fortuño 41%
PDP Roberto Prats 37%
PIP Edwin Irizarry Mora 5%
UNDECIDED 17%
In a series of questions, respondents were asked to name the gubernatorial candidate who would be "best" in solving certain problems generally judged to be determining factors in the election. The following box indicates the percentage numbers of potential voters rating a given candidate as "best." Percentages for those choosing "all the same" or "not sure" and not tallied.
HOW DO YOU RATE THE CANDIDATES?
| ISSUE |
Rosselló |
Acevedo Vilá |
Berríos |
| Insuring the safety of Puerto Ricans |
44% |
32% |
8% |
| The question of Puerto Rico’s political status |
45% |
31% |
8% |
| Improving the economy |
49% |
35% |
5% |
| Improving education |
42% |
40% |
7% |
| Providing more access to medical care |
51% |
34% |
5% |
| Fighting crime and drug abuse |
46% |
29% |
6% |
| Holding down taxes |
36% |
33% |
11% |
| Insuring a good water system |
41% |
31% |
5% |
| Determining the future of Vieques and Roosevelt Roads |
37% |
26% |
18% |
| Controlling political corruption |
32% |
37% |
13% |
| Managing the electric power system |
41% |
35% |
4% |
Several questions in the survey asked how incumbents in the office of Governor and Resident Commissioner had performed over the past four years. Respondents were asked to give one of five possible ratings to the performance of each office holder. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, the current Resident Commissioner, is also the PDP candidate for Governor in 2004. The following box displays the results.
WHAT KIND OF A JOB HAVE THEY DONE?
| Office Holder |
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
Not sure |
Governor
Sila Calderón |
9% |
22% |
34% |
34% |
1% |
Resident Commissioner
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá |
15% |
22% |
30% |
30% |
3% |
In one question, Puerto Rican participants in the poll were asked to cast a virtual vote in the mainland Presidential campaign, even though an actual vote was precluded to them. Respondents were asked, "If you could vote in the US Presidential election, would you vote for the Democrat John Kerry or the Republican George Bush? Following are the results.
WHO DO YOU WANT FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT?
| Bush/Cheney |
Kerry/Edwards |
Someone Else |
Not Sure |
| 43% |
44% |
1% |
12%
|
Other factors relating to Puerto Rico’s reality were presented to interviewees. As the Herald tracking polls continue, more details of their responses will be reported.
| 
