Ohio (OH) Poll * December 13, 2006 * Ohio Voters, Even Union Member - Quinnipiac University

Home> Institutes and Centers> Quinnipiac University Polling Institute> Ohio (OH)> Release Detail

December 13, 2006 - Ohio Voters, Even Union Members, Shop At Wal-Mart, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Most Say Store Has Positive Effect On Area

Eighty-six percent of Ohio voters, including 83 percent of voters in union households, say they or someone in their household has shopped at a Wal-Mart store in the last 12 months, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Voters with a Wal-Mart store near where they live say 65 - 23 percent, including 53 - 28 percent of voters in union households, that Wal-Mart has a positive effect on their area, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Opinions range from 70 - 22 percent positive among Republicans to 66 - 20 percent among independent voters to 61 - 26 percent among Democrats.
By a 48 - 30 percent margin, voters think elected officials who criticize Wal-Mart are motivated by money and votes from labor unions rather than by concerns about low wages and benefits.
Criticism of Wal-Mart has no impact on whether they shop there, 74 percent of voters say, with 5 percent who say it makes them more likely to shop and 19 percent who say less likely. This same criticism has no effect on whether they will vote for an elected official, 77 percent of voters say, while 7 percent are more likely to vote for Wal-Mart critics, with 14 percent less likely.
"Wal-Mart has become a political pinata for Democratic officials, including many 2008 presidential candidates," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Those comments, however, are having very little effect on how most voters shop for socks, or candidates. Those voters who do care are less likely to vote for Democrats," Brown added.
"Even Ohio voters in union households shop at Wal-Mart and feel it is good for the area where they live."
But voters in union households say 50 - 40 percent that Wal-Mart has a negative effect on the nation.
"This shift from support for Wal-Mart locally to a negative view of the store's national impact could be driven by concerns over imports and jobs," Brown said.
By a 66 - 24 percent margin, including 53 - 34 percent in union households, Ohio voters say the price of the merchandise is more important than the store's business practices when they decide whether or not to shop at Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart's business practices are worse than other stores of its type, 26 percent of voters say, with 15 percent who say better and 51 percent who say they're the same.
By a 44 - 24 percent margin, Ohio voters have a favorable opinion of Wal-Mart, but union households have a 40 - 31 percent unfavorable opinion.
From December 4 - 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,027 Ohio voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data -- www.quinnipiac.edu and click on Institutes and Centers, or call (203) 582-5201.
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George Voinovich is handling his job as United States Senator?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Approve 41% 52% 31% 41% 43% 38% 46% Disapprove 33 24 44 30 37 30 27 DK/NA 26 24 25 28 19 32 27
4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Approve 34% 75% 6% 29% 38% 31% 51% Disapprove 62 21 93 67 58 65 45 DK/NA 4 4 1 4 4 4 5
19. On another matter, have you or anyone in your household shopped at Wal-Mart in the past 12 months?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Yes 86% 90% 83% 86% 84% 87% 88% No 13 10 16 14 15 13 11 DK/NA 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Yes 83% 83% 89% 88% 86% No 16 16 11 12 14 DK/NA 1 1 - - -
20. In general is your opinion of Wal-Mart favorable, unfavorable, mixed or haven't you heard enough about it?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Favorable 44% 53% 39% 42% 46% 43% 45% Unfavorable 24 18 27 25 24 24 23 Mixed 23 22 24 23 19 27 25 Hvn't hrd enough 7 6 8 9 9 6 6 REFUSED 2 1 2 2 3 1 2 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Favorable 31% 46% 44% 43% 47% Unfavorable 40 22 20 28 25 Mixed 21 18 26 24 23 Hvn't hrd enough 7 12 8 5 2 REFUSED 1 2 1 - 2
21. Is there a Wal-Mart store in your area?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Yes 93% 93% 93% 94% 95% 91% 95% No 7 6 7 5 4 8 5 DK/NA - 1 - - 1 - 1 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Yes 94% 86% 95% 97% 94% No 5 14 5 3 5 DK/NA - - - - 1
22a. (If 'Yes' q21) Overall, do you think that Wal-Mart has had a positive or negative effect on your area?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Positive 65% 70% 61% 66% 64% 66% 66% Negative 23 22 26 20 24 22 24 DK/NA 12 8 14 14 12 12 10 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Positive 53% 69% 68% 66% 59% Negative 28 23 22 24 25 DK/NA 19 9 10 10 15
22b. (If 'No' q21) If there was a Wal-Mart in your area would you shop there or not?
No Wal-Mart In Area q21 Yes 70% No 27 DK/NA 3
23. Overall, do you think that Wal-Mart has had a positive or negative effect on the country?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Positive 52% 61% 49% 48% 51% 52% 55% Negative 37 29 42 38 41 33 35 DK/NA 11 10 10 14 8 15 10 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Positive 40% 53% 51% 52% 53% Negative 50 36 37 38 38 DK/NA 10 12 12 9 9
24. Over all, do you think that Wal-Mart's business practices are better than most other stores of it's type, worse than most others, or about the same as most others?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Better 15% 23% 15% 9% 18% 12% 15% Worse 26 19 31 29 26 27 24 The same 51 51 47 54 49 52 51 DK/NA 8 8 7 9 6 9 10 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Better 15% 14% 14% 15% 27% Worse 33 22 27 28 28 The same 47 55 55 51 41 DK/NA 6 9 4 6 5
25. Some elected officials have criticized Wal-Mart and its business practices. When you hear such criticism does it make you more likely to shop at Wal-Mart, less likely, or doesn't it make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl More likely 5% 10% 3% 3% 5% 4% 7% Less likely 19 14 27 15 18 19 16 No difference 74 75 68 77 74 74 75 DK/NA 3 1 2 4 3 3 2 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K More likely 3% 5% 4% 4% 11% Less likely 32 15 18 22 18 No difference 62 75 78 73 70 DK/NA 3 5 1 2 1
26. If an elected official criticizes Wal-Mart, does their criticism make you more likely to vote for them, less likely, or doesn't it make a difference?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl More likely 7% 4% 11% 4% 9% 5% 4% Less likely 14 21 10 13 16 12 17 No difference 77 72 78 80 73 81 77 DK/NA 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K More likely 10% 4% 11% 6% 11% Less likely 12 13 11 14 18 No difference 76 80 76 78 68 DK/NA 2 2 1 2 3
27. Most of the political criticism of Wal-Mart is coming from Democratic elected officials. Do you think these elected officials are criticizing Wal-Mart mainly because - A) they think the wages and benefits Wal-Mart offers are bad for the employees? OR B) they get money and votes from labor unions who don't like Wal-Mart because it is non-union?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl A) Wages & benefits bad for employees 30% 13% 43% 30% 27% 33% 25% B) Money & votes from labor unions 48 68 35 48 52 45 56 DK/NA 22 19 23 22 21 22 19 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K A) Wages & benefits bad for employees 38% 31% 31% 31% 31% B) Money & votes from labor unions 40 46 52 48 51 DK/NA 22 23 17 20 18
28. When deciding whether or not to shop at Wal-Mart, which is more important to you, the store's business practices or the price of it's merchandise?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Business practices 24% 19% 26% 26% 26% 22% 24% Price of merchandise 66 69 63 66 66 66 66 DK/NA 10 12 11 8 8 12 10 Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Business practices 34% 15% 22% 30% 31% Price of merchandise 53 75 69 61 61 DK/NA 13 10 8 9 8
29. Have you or a member of your household gone to Starbucks within the past 12 months?
WtBrnAgn Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl Yes 33% 38% 32% 29% 34% 32% 31% No 66 62 66 70 66 67 69 DK/NA 1 - 2 - 1 1 - Union Annual household income..... Hshlds <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K Yes 36% 17% 27% 45% 65% No 64 83 73 55 35 DK/NA - 1 - - -