March 26, 1998 - New Yorkers Back Abortion, But Not For Late Term Quinnipiac College Poll Finds; Ferraro Holds Solid Lead Over D'Amato And Dem Pack A slim majority of New York voters, 52 percent, say abortions should be generally available, while 33 percent say there should be stricter limits and 14 percent say abortions should not be permitted, according to a Quinnipiac College poll released today. By a 77 - 19 percent margin, New Yorkers say late term or so-called "partial birth" abortions should not be permitted except to save the life of the mother. Voters back, 67 - 26 percent, a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. By 66 - 29 percent, New Yorkers favor requiring parental consent before a "girl" under 18 has an abortion. When the phrase "young woman" is used for those under 18, the result shifts slightly to 63 - 32 percent in favor of parental consent. "General approval of the right to an abortion fades when voters are asked about specific restrictions -- a waiting period, parental consent for `girls' or `young women' under 18, or the controversial late term or `partial birth' abortion," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac College Polling Institute. "Feelings on this complex issue are very mixed. Pro-life advocates can say 47 percent of voters want stricter limits or an outright ban, while pro-choice advocates can point to 85 percent who favor keeping some type of abortion legal, with both sides claiming those in the middle." In the New York Senate race, Geraldine Ferraro holds a 53 - 37 percent lead over Republican incumbent Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, similar to her 52 - 38 percent lead from December, 1997, before she announced her candidacy. New York City Public Advocate Mark Green would tie D'Amato at 44 percent each. D'Amato would squeak by another possible Democratic challenger, Brooklyn Congressman Charles Schumer, 45 - 41 percent. These results are unchanged from the February 26 poll. With no challenger named, New Yorkers say 45 - 43 percent, a statistical tie, that D'Amato deserves to be reelected. Ferraro leads the pack in a possible Democratic primary with 50 percent, followed by Green with 20 percent and Schumer with 15 percent. "Politicians always say Sen. D'Amato is a loser in the polls and a winner on election day, but he has yet to close that gap with Geraldine Ferraro," Carroll said. "Ferraro has been out of sight, scrounging campaign cash, while Rep. Schumer already has run a get-to-know-me ad blitz and Mark Green surfaces from time to time in the news media. But the Democratic primary race seems frozen, with Ferraro holding at the 50 percent mark and her two opponents still struggling for name recognition," Carroll added. D'Amato's approval rating stands at 47 - 43 percent, similar to a 48 - 41 percent approval last month, and a significant jump from his low of 33 - 58 in a June 20, 1996, poll. D'Amato's favorability is 36 - 35 percent, with 20 percent mixed and 8 percent who say they haven't heard enough to form an opinion. Among possible Democratic challengers and other statewide leaders, favorability ratings are: Favorable Unfavorable Mixed No opinion Ferraro 37 20 23 19 Green 29 7 9 54 Schumer 21 7 11 61 Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan 51 11 21 17 State Comptroller Carl McCall 25 3 10 61 Attorney General Dennis Vacco 25 7 15 53 From March 17 - 23, Quinnipiac College surveyed 1,183 New Yorkers who say they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent. The Quinnipiac College Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research. Additional data available. 2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Daniel Patrick Moynihan is handling his job as United States Senator? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Approve 64% 63% 64% 64% 57% 72% 61% 63% Disapprove 17 15 19 19 21 13 19 17 DK/NA 19 21 17 17 22 15 20 20 2a. Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Approve strongly 24% 22% 25% 25% 19% 33% 20% 24% Approve smwht 40 41 39 39 38 39 41 39 Disapprove smwht 9 8 10 10 10 8 11 10 Disapprove strongly 8 7 9 9 11 6 8 7 DK/NA 19 21 17 17 22 15 20 20 3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Alfonse D'Amato is handling his job as United States Senator? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Approve 47% 48% 41% 53% 65% 37% 43% 48% Disapprove 43 40 48 40 22 55 49 41 DK/NA 10 12 10 8 13 8 8 11 3A. Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Approve strongy 16% 13% 17% 20% 26% 11% 13% 18% Approve smwht 31 35 25 33 40 26 30 30 Disapprove smwht 13 14 13 12 13 13 14 12 Disapprove strongly 30 26 36 28 9 42 35 28 DK/NA 10 12 10 8 13 8 8 11 28. Is your opinion of State Controller H. Carl McCall favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 25% 24% 26% 25% 22% 29% 25% 24% Unfavorable 3 3 4 3 6 1 4 4 Mixed 10 9 13 10 9 12 10 10 Hvn't hrd enough 61 64 57 61 63 57 61 62 Refused - - - - - - - - 29. Is your opinion of State Attorney General Dennis Vacco favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 25% 33% 16% 23% 30% 21% 26% 26% Unfavorable 7 7 7 6 6 9 7 6 Mixed 15 15 13 17 11 18 15 15 Hvn't hrd enough 53 44 63 53 52 53 53 53 Refused - - - - - - - - 31. Is your opinion of United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 51% 48% 54% 50% 43% 60% 47% 50% Unfavorable 11 10 12 12 16 8 12 12 Mixed 21 24 15 22 23 16 23 21 Hvn't hrd enough 17 17 18 15 18 16 17 16 Refused 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 1 32. Is your opinion of United States Senator Alfonse D'Amato favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 36% 32% 35% 43% 51% 26% 34% 36% Unfavorable 35 32 42 32 15 46 42 35 Mixed 20 24 15 19 22 19 18 21 Hvn't hrd enough 8 11 7 5 11 8 6 8 Refused 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 33. Is your opinion of former United States Representative Geraldine Ferraro favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about her? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 37% 36% 39% 35% 20% 51% 39% 42% Unfavorable 20 20 17 25 35 9 19 24 Mixed 23 22 25 22 21 25 22 19 Hvn't hrd enough 19 21 18 17 24 15 19 14 Refused 1 - 1 - - 1 1 1 34. Is your opinion of New York City Public Advocate Mark Green favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 29% 8% 53% 32% 18% 41% 27% 30% Unfavorable 7 3 11 11 11 3 10 8 Mixed 9 5 14 12 7 11 11 9 Hvn't hrd enough 54 84 21 45 64 45 52 53 Refused 1 - 1 - - 1 1 - 35. Is your opinion of United States Representative Charles Schumer favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 Favorable 21% 10% 35% 19% 12% 28% 21% 23% Unfavorable 7 5 8 9 10 2 9 10 Mixed 11 6 15 13 8 14 10 9 Hvn't hrd enough 61 78 42 58 70 56 59 58 Refused - - - - - - - 1 36. If the 1998 election for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Alfonse D'Amato the Republican, and Geraldine Ferraro the Democrat, for whom would you vote? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 D'Amato 37% 37% 32% 44% 69% 19% 30% 38% Ferraro 53 52 59 46 23 75 57 50 SOMEONE ELSE(VOL) 1 2 - 2 1 1 1 1 WOULDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 1 3 4 1 1 4 3 DK/NA 6 8 5 5 7 4 7 8 37. If the 1998 election for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Alfonse D'Amato the Republican, and Mark Green the Democrat, for whom would you vote? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 D'Amato 44% 48% 33% 50% 76% 23% 39% 43% Green 44 35 61 38 12 69 46 43 SOMEONE ELSE(VOL) 2 3 - 2 2 1 2 1 WOULDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 1 4 1 1 4 2 DK/NA 9 14 4 6 8 5 9 10 38. If the 1998 election for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Alfonse D'Amato the Republican, and Charles Schumer the Democrat, for whom would you vote? Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind 1998 D'Amato 45% 48% 35% 52% 77% 25% 39% 45% Schumer 41 34 53 36 10 64 44 41 SOMEONE ELSE(VOL) 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 WOULDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 1 4 1 2 3 2 DK/NA 10 14 8 7 10 7 11 10 40. Thinking about the job Alfonse D'Amato has done as United States Senator, do you think he deserves to be re-elected or do you think he doesn't deserve to be re-elected? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Deserves to be re- elected 45% 47% 40% 50% 72% 32% 39% Doesn't deserve to be re-elected 43 40 49 39 17 57 50 DK/NA 12 13 11 11 11 10 11 47.(Registered Democrats) If the 1998 Democratic primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Mark Green, Geraldine Ferraro and Charles Schumer for whom would you vote? Registered Democrats Feb 26 Tot Ups NYC Sub Men Wom 1998 Green 20% 7% 30% 19% 19% 20% 19% Ferraro 50 66 36 55 47 53 46 Schumer 15 9 22 10 21 11 18 SOMEONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 WOULDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 1 4 2 2 1 DK/NA 11 14 9 10 9 12 13 51. Which of these statements comes closest to your view? (A) Abortion should be generally available to those who want it, (B) Abortion should be available, but under stricter limits than it is now, or (C) Abortion should not be permitted. Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind (A)Abortion should be generally available to those who want it. 52% 44% 60% 53% 40% 60% 56% (B)Abortion should be available, but under stricter limits than it is now. 33 36 28 34 41 28 31 (C)Abortion should not be permitted. 14 19 11 12 17 12 12 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 - 1 52. Do you favor or oppose a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion before the abortion could take place? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Favor 67% 69% 64% 68% 75% 62% 68% Oppose 26 23 30 26 19 32 26 DK/NA 7 9 6 7 6 6 7 53a.(Split Sample A) Do you favor or oppose requiring parental consent before a girl under 18 years of age could have an abortion? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Favor 66% 71% 57% 69% 75% 59% 69% Oppose 29 24 38 27 24 36 25 DK/NA 5 5 6 4 1 5 6 53b. (Split Sample B) Do you favor or oppose requiring parental consent before a young woman under 18 years of age could have an abortion? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Favor 63% 71% 59% 55% 78% 56% 54% Oppose 32 23 36 39 17 39 39 DK/NA 5 6 4 6 5 6 6 54. How much have you heard or read about an abortion procedure performed in the last months of pregnancy, also known as partial birth abortion? A lot, some, only a little, or nothing at all? Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind A lot 36% 36% 34% 36% 36% 36% 36% Some 29 28 27 32 28 29 30 Only a little 17 17 20 16 17 18 17 Nothing at all 17 18 18 15 18 17 15 DK/NA 1 1 1 - 1 - 1 55. (If heard or read something) Do you think these late-term abortions should be legal or do you think they should be illegal except when necessary to save the life of the mother? Heard or read something Tot Ups NYC Sub Rep Dem Ind Legal 19% 16% 24% 18% 14% 25% 17% Illegal except to save mother 77 80 70 78 82 72 78 DK/NA 5 4 6 4 4 3 5
