Union Families And the Upcoming Election

Reuters/Zogby, Wednesday 6 September 2000 4:07 PM ET

UTICA, N.Y. (Reuters/Zogby) - In a recent national Zogby poll of 1,004 likely voters, 183 said they, themselves or someone in their family is a union member. Among these likely voting union families, Gore is the choice of 55.3%.

One in four (25.2%) union families choose George W. Bush (news - web sites), while 9.2% favor Green Party candidate Ralph Nader (news - web sites). Another 2.4% are for Pat Buchanan (news - web sites) of the Reform Party, 0.7% are voting Libertarian Harry Browne, while 0.6 choose John Hagelin (news - web sites), also of the Reform Party. Another 6.6% are still not sure.

Of the union family voters who choose Gore, 82.6% they have definitely ruled out voting for Bush, while 16.9% said they haven't yet ruled out the Republican candidate. Only 0.5% said they weren't sure.

Likewise, of those who choose Bush, 75.7% said they've definitely ruled out voting for Gore, while 15.3% said they have not yet ruled out the Democratic candidate; 9.0% said they weren't sure.

While 80.4% of union family voters said they weren't likely to change their vote, 13.9% said they were somewhat likely and 3.1% said they were very likely.

When later asked if they were waiting for the debates to decide on their vote, 30.9% said yes, while 68.4% said they had made up their minds already.

What we asked:

"In 2000, the candidates for Pres. Are Gore, Bush, Buchanan, Nader, Browne, Hagelin and Phillips. If the election were held today, for whom would you vote?

Have you definitely ruled out voting for George W. Bush/Al Gore (news - web sites)?

How likely are you to change your vote?

Which statement best describes your view: A - I have definitely made up my mind for whom I will vote. B - I am waiting for the debates to make up my mind."