The William C. Velásquez Institute (WCVI) conducted an exit poll to measure how Latinos voted during the November 2006 General elections. The survey was administered by trained interviewers in both English and Spanish. WCVI pollsters interviewed 1,320 Latino voters in 53 precincts in 8 states (Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois), which comprise 82% of all registered Latino voters. The sample was designed to cover 82% of all Latino voters in the country. Precincts from 5% to 100% of registered Latino voters were included in the sample. The design is a stratified, two-stage, probability-based sample. Precincts were included in the universe if they met minimum levels with respect to number and percentage of Latino voters. Precincts were then stratified by geography and percent Latino voter population. The voter’s poll touched on issues especially relevant to the Latino community which where either represented in the November election or are subject of on going local and national debate.
The margin of error for this study is + 2.8%. Results may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Margin of error higher for subgroups.
Simultaneously, WCVI also conducted separate exit surveys of Latino voters in California & Florida. WCVI Pollsters conducted 751 exit interviews in California, 431 exit interviews in Florida and 484 exit interviews in Texas. Each state survey duplicated the methodology of the national survey.
The margin of error for California was +/- 3.6%.
The margin of error for Florida was +/- 4.0%.
The margin of error for Texas was +/- 3.8%.
Margin of error higher for subgroups.
| 1. For whom did you vote in your Congressional District race? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Democratic Candidate |
69.96% |
70.62% |
65.44% |
69.66% |
| Republican Candidate |
25.96% |
23.34% |
33.26% |
27.23% |
| Other Candidate |
4.08% |
6.04% |
1.30% |
3.12% |
|
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| 2. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Satisfied |
22.31% |
21.55% |
24.66% |
21.95% |
| Dissatisfied |
62.93% |
63.31% |
64.60% |
66.79% |
| Unsure |
14.77% |
15.14% |
10.74% |
11.26% |
|
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| 3. Which comes closest to your view about what government policy should be toward illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States? Should the government: |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Make all illegal immigrants felons and send them back to their home country |
6.78% |
5.08% |
9.27% |
11.86% |
| Have a guest worker program that allows immigrants to remain in the United States in order to work, but only for a limited amount of time |
16.61% |
16.31% |
17.55% |
19.33% |
| Allow illegal immigrants to remain in the United States and become U.S. citizens, but only if they meet certain requirements like working and paying back taxes over a period of time |
47.13% |
45.73% |
44.56% |
48.08% |
| Grant amnesty to all illegal immigrants in the country, giving them residence and the right to work without the fear of being deported |
20.55% |
23.94% |
18.96% |
9.12% |
| None of the above |
4.02% |
3.84% |
3.39% |
7.02% |
| No opinion |
4.91% |
5.11% |
6.27% |
4.60% |
|
|
|
|
|
| 4. Which one issue mattered most in deciding how you voted for Congress or the Senate? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Abortion |
7.20% |
7.18% |
6.39% |
4.94% |
| Education Policy |
9.23% |
10.31% |
6.57% |
8.50% |
| Disaster Preparedness & Relief |
0.63% |
1.18% |
1.63% |
0.41% |
| Economy/Jobs |
21.73% |
20.96% |
17.67% |
19.68% |
| Iraq War Policy |
18.42% |
13.94% |
21.31% |
24.12% |
| Energy Policy |
0.89% |
1.76% |
0.21% |
1.23% |
| The Environment |
2.07% |
4.61% |
1.60% |
1.68% |
| Health Policy |
4.29% |
4.26% |
7.04% |
4.09% |
| Immigration Policy |
7.97% |
12.27% |
8.30% |
4.93% |
| Public Education |
6.23% |
8.34% |
2.45% |
5.68% |
| War on Terrorism |
9.25% |
5.43% |
9.29% |
13.45% |
| Budget & Taxes |
4.20% |
3.56% |
9.62% |
4.34% |
| Gay Rights |
1.78% |
1.11% |
1.39% |
1.89% |
| Social Security |
6.10% |
5.09% |
6.53% |
5.07% |
|
|
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|
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| 5. Do you favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq until there is a stable government there OR bringing most of our troops home in the next year? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Wait for Stable Government |
26.06% |
23.77% |
29.26% |
26.66% |
| Bring Home Next Year |
57.26% |
58.93% |
61.31% |
61.79% |
| Unsure |
16.68% |
17.30% |
9.43% |
11.55% |
|
|
|
|
|
| 6. How would you characterize your political affiliation? Are you a: |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Democrat |
61.58% |
65.04% |
51.73% |
53.87% |
| Republican |
22.81% |
19.89% |
30.33% |
24.24% |
| Green |
1.26% |
2.08% |
1.63% |
0.60% |
| Other Party |
1.20% |
1.40% |
0.72% |
1.20% |
| Independent |
7.90% |
6.05% |
11.21% |
12.34% |
| None of the above |
5.26% |
5.55% |
4.38% |
7.74% |
| Total Voted |
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| 7. Which of the following media sources most influenced for whom you voted in the 2006 General elections? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Spanish language newspapers |
5.63% |
7.24% |
3.19% |
0.14% |
| English language newspapers |
11.78% |
12.74% |
10.88% |
18.36% |
| Spanish language radio |
3.13% |
4.40% |
2.66% |
0.40% |
| English language radio |
7.39% |
8.09% |
4.28% |
9.90% |
| Spanish language TV |
13.37% |
12.19% |
7.55% |
2.70% |
| English language TV |
27.50% |
26.86% |
29.81% |
40.04% |
| Spanish language Internet |
0.49% |
1.34% |
0.89% |
0.00% |
| English language Internet |
4.28% |
3.70% |
3.47% |
7.52% |
| None influenced |
26.43% |
23.43% |
37.26% |
20.93% |
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|
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| 8. Is this the first time you have voted? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Yes |
8.08% |
11.95% |
10.40% |
4.06% |
| No |
91.92% |
88.05% |
89.60% |
95.94% |
|
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|
|
|
| 9. If not born in the U.S., when did you become a citizen? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| During or before 2002 |
84.83% |
84.43% |
83.57% |
90.06% |
| During 2003/2004 |
9.58% |
9.74% |
9.63% |
1.49% |
| During 2005 /2006 |
5.59% |
5.83% |
6.80% |
8.46% |
|
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| 10. In what country were you born? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| US |
57.24% |
56.12% |
45.99% |
92.38% |
| Mexico |
14.42% |
33.77% |
1.30% |
5.34% |
| Puerto Rico |
12.49% |
1.38% |
15.85% |
0.51% |
| Cuba |
2.13% |
1.20% |
15.65% |
0.00% |
| Central America |
3.15% |
5.29% |
2.58% |
0.19% |
| South America |
3.81% |
0.41% |
6.04% |
0.62% |
| Other Caribbean |
4.13% |
0.31% |
9.99% |
0.13% |
| Other |
2.63% |
1.51% |
2.61% |
0.83% |
|
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|
|
| 11. Are you Male or Female? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Male |
51.07% |
52.03% |
51.93% |
48.85% |
| Female |
48.93% |
47.97% |
48.07% |
51.15% |
|
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|
|
| 12. What is your ancestry? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Mexican-American/Mexican/Chicano |
35.04% |
63.48% |
7.67% |
73.06% |
| Puerto Rican/Boricua |
21.90% |
2.46% |
28.43% |
2.55% |
| Cuban/Cuban-American |
3.97% |
1.90% |
24.23% |
0.40% |
| Central American |
7.56% |
8.74% |
6.40% |
9.84% |
| South American |
5.30% |
1.63% |
10.99% |
2.13% |
| Caribbean |
6.62% |
1.01% |
13.07% |
0.46% |
| Latino or Hispanic |
19.61% |
20.77% |
9.21% |
11.55% |
|
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|
|
| 13. What age group best describes you: |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| 18-24 |
8.98% |
11.36% |
8.00% |
8.29% |
| 25-29 |
10.33% |
11.68% |
6.98% |
6.73% |
| 30-34 |
11.29% |
13.61% |
7.57% |
9.74% |
| 35-39 |
11.92% |
11.28% |
11.15% |
12.46% |
| 40-44 |
13.77% |
13.42% |
15.06% |
15.34% |
| 45-49 |
9.53% |
10.37% |
7.80% |
12.50% |
| 50-54 |
11.01% |
9.46% |
12.28% |
13.03% |
| 55-59 |
6.32% |
7.83% |
6.14% |
6.15% |
| 60-64 |
6.08% |
4.45% |
8.75% |
6.10% |
| 65 or older |
10.77% |
6.53% |
16.27% |
9.65% |
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| 14. What is the highest grade in school you completed? |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Some high school or less |
13.02% |
12.85% |
9.76% |
5.98% |
| High school graduate or equivalent |
22.68% |
25.88% |
20.11% |
15.03% |
| Some college/vocational |
29.83% |
32.95% |
32.97% |
36.60% |
| College graduate |
24.44% |
19.19% |
24.66% |
28.32% |
| Graduate education or higher |
10.03% |
9.14% |
12.50% |
14.07% |
|
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| 15. If you added together your entire household's income, would it be: |
U.S. |
CA |
FL |
TX |
| Under $10,000 |
8.47% |
6.08% |
6.67% |
3.88% |
| $10,001-$20,000 |
10.12% |
11.62% |
10.53% |
8.93% |
| $20,001-$30,000 |
13.05% |
13.89% |
11.76% |
10.50% |
| $30,001-$40,000 |
12.80% |
14.62% |
13.73% |
12.29% |
| $40,001-$50,000 |
12.92% |
13.88% |
12.87% |
12.89% |
| $50,001-$60,000 |
13.12% |
11.93% |
10.69% |
13.54% |
| $60,001-$70,000 |
8.19% |
8.55% |
9.18% |
11.11% |
| $70,001-$100,000 |
12.75% |
11.90% |
14.28% |
16.63% |
| Over $100,000 |
8.56% |
7.54% |
10.28% |
10.23% |
|
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| 16.ONLY CALIFORNIA VOTERS: Whom did you vote for in the Gubernatorial race? |
|
CA |
|
|
| Phil Angelides |
|
60.56% |
|
|
| Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
31.54% |
|
|
| Other Candidate |
|
7.90% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 17. ONLY CALIFORNIA VOTERS: In the 2006 General election, how did you vote on Proposition 84, the Clean Water, Parks and Coastal Protection Bond? |
|
CA |
|
|
| Yes |
|
82.42% |
|
|
| No |
|
17.58% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 18. ONLY CALIFORNIA VOTERS: In the 2006 General election, how did you vote on Proposition 87, the Alternative Energy Proposition? |
|
CA |
|
|
| Yes |
|
68.21% |
|
|
| No |
|
31.79% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 19. ONLY FLORIDA VOTERS: Whom did you vote for in the Gubernatorial race? |
|
|
FL |
|
| Charlie Crist |
|
|
42.80% |
|
| Jim Davis |
|
|
55.75% |
|
| Other Candidate |
|
|
1.45% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 20. ONLY FLORIDA VOTERS: For whom did you vote in your Senate race? |
|
|
FL |
|
| Katherine Harris |
|
|
32.84% |
|
| Bill Nelson |
|
|
64.28% |
|
| Other Candidate |
|
|
2.88% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 21. ONLY TEXAS VOTERS: Whom did you vote for in your Senate race? |
|
|
|
TX |
| Kay Bailey Hutchison |
|
|
|
44.22% |
| Barbara Ann Radnofsky |
|
|
|
44.55% |
| Other Candidate |
|
|
|
11.24% |
|
|
|
|
|
| 22. ONLY TEXAS VOTERS: Whom did you vote for in the Gubernatorial race? |
|
|
|
TX |
| Chris Bell |
|
|
|
41.28% |
| “Kinky” Friedman |
|
|
|
16.19% |
| Rick Perry |
|
|
|
24.36% |
| Carole Keeton Strayhorn |
|
|
|
15.37% |
| Other Candidate |
|
|
|
2.79% |
|
|
|
|
|
| 23. ONLY TEXAS VOTERS: Whom did you vote for in the Lieutenant Governor’s race? |
|
|
|
TX |
| David Dewhurst |
|
|
|
37.69% |
| Maria Luisa Alvarado |
|
|
|
52.48% |
| Other Candidate |
|
|
|
9.83% |
