VPR - Vermont PBS 2020 Polls: September

A Survey Of Vermonters

If the presidential election were today, who would you vote for? For governor? Lieutenant governor? If a vaccine for the coronavirus was developed in the next year, how eager would you be to get it? How optimistic are you about the future of your community?

The VPR-Vermont PBS 2020 Poll asked hundreds of Vermonters these questions and more. Find out where your neighbors stand on the issues.

Note: This is the third of three polls conducted in 2020 by VPR and Vermont PBS.

Q1. How closely do you follow news about national and state politics? Would you say very closely, somewhat closely, not very much, or not at all?

37% Very closely
43% Somewhat closely
15% Not very much
5% Not at all
604 Total Respondents

The full survey has a sampling error of 4%; this varies with the total respondents. See the Appendix below for the details on the sample and methods.

Q2-6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the following elected politicians are handling their jobs?

604 Total Respondents

Q7. How likely are you to vote in the November general election?

80% Definitely will vote
11% Probably will vote
4% Probably will not vote
4% Definitely will not vote
2% Not sure/No opinion
604 Total Respondents

Q8. If the presidential election were held today, would you vote for ...

32% Republican Donald Trump
56% Democrat Joe Biden
6% Someone else
2% None of the above
3% Not sure/No opinion
586 Total Respondents

Q8a. Is the reason you are voting for Trump more because you support Trump or more because you oppose Biden?

68% Support Trump
24% Oppose Biden
6% Neither
2% Not sure/No opinion
175 Total Respondents

Q8b. Is the reason you are voting for Biden more because you support Biden or more because you oppose Trump?

30% Support Biden
63% Oppose Trump
4% Neither
2% Not sure/No opinion
346 Total Respondents

Q9. If the election for Vermont’s governor were held today, would you vote for ...

55% Republican Phil Scott
24% Democrat Progressive David Zuckerman
0% Independent Wayne Billado
0% Independent Michael Devost
0% Unaffiliated Charly Dickerson
1% Independent Kevin Hoyt
1% Independent Erynn Hazlett Whitney
1% No one/Not voting on this item
16% Other/Not sure/No opinion
0% Refused
586 Total Respondents

Q10. If the election for Vermont’s lieutenant governor were held today, would you vote for ...

31% Republican Scott Milne
35% Democrat Molly Gray
4% Progressive Cris Ericson
0% Banish the F35s Party candidate Ralph Corbo
2% Independent Wayne Billado
4% No one/Not voting on this item
24% Other/Not sure/No opinion
586 Total Respondents

Q11. If the election for U.S. House of Representatives were held today, would you vote for ...

57% Democrat Peter Welch
18% Republican Miriam Berry
2% Independent Peter Becker
1% Independent Marcia Horne
0% Independent Shawn Orr
0% Independent Jerry Trudell
1% Communist candidate Christopher Helali
6% No one/Not voting on this item
16% Other/Not sure/No opinion
586 Total Respondents

Q12. Are you likely to vote early or wait until Nov. 3 to cast your ballot?

44% Vote early
47% Vote on Nov. 3
9% Not sure
1% Refused
586 Total Respondents

Q13. Will you likely vote by mail or in person?

45% Vote by mail
49% Vote in person
6% Not sure
586 Total Respondents

Q14. If you voted in the 2016 presidential election, did you vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, someone else, or were you not able to vote in 2016?

28% Trump
35% Clinton
15% Other
20% Did not vote
2% Not sure/Don’t remember
1% Refused
604 Total Respondents

Q15. If Phil Scott were to challenge Sen. Patrick Leahy in the next Senate election, would you favor Scott or Leahy?

41% Scott
38% Leahy
7% Neither
15% Not sure/Don’t remember
604 Total Respondents

Q16. In general, how confident are you that the 2020 presidential election will be conducted fairly? Would you say you are ...

19% Very confident
35% Somewhat confident
29% Not too confident
14% Not confident at all
3% Not sure
604 Total Respondents

Q17. In thinking about American history, which statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right:
A. The U.S. may not have been perfect, but focusing on its historical flaws makes the country weaker
-OR-
B. It makes the U.S. stronger

15% Closer to statement A
77% Closer to statement B
3% Neither
5% Not sure/No opinion
1% Refused
604 Total Respondents

Q18. Would you support or oppose a law to create a system for selling marijuana that is taxed and regulated by the Vermont state government?

68% Support
24% Oppose
8% Not sure/No opinion
604 Total Respondents

Q19. Given the current state of the pandemic, do you favor or oppose having K-12 schools open for in-person instruction?

52% Favor
34% Oppose
14% Not sure/No opinion
604 Total Respondents

Q20. Given the current state of the pandemic, do you favor or oppose Vermont universities and colleges having students back on campus?

48% Favor
42% Oppose
9% Not sure/No opinion
1% Refused
604 Total Respondents

Q21. If a vaccine for COVID-19 were developed in the next 12 months, how eager or reticent would you be to get vaccinated as early as possible?

19% Very eager
29% Somewhat eager
22% Somewhat reticent
21% Very reticent
6% Not sure/No opinion
3% Refused
604 Total Respondents

Q22. Has the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic made you more proud of being a Vermonter, less proud of being a Vermonter, or has it had no impact on your level of pride?

59% More proud
32% No impact
5% Less proud
4% Not sure/No opinion
604 Total Respondents

Q23. Thinking about the future of your community, are you very optimistic, somewhat optimistic, somewhat pessimistic, or very pessimistic?

23% Very optimistic
42% Somewhat optimistic
12% Neither optimistic nor pessimistic
17% Somewhat pessimistic
5% Very pressimistic
1% Don’t know/Refused
604 Total Respondents

Q24. If you were to advise an 18-year-old considering where to build a successful life and career, would you recommend that he or she stay in Vermont or leave Vermont?

47% Stay in Vermont
36% Leave Vermont
17% Not sure/It depends
1% Refused
604 Total Respondents

Q25. Given the state of national politics, would you support or oppose an effort in Vermont to secede from the United States and re-establish Vermont as an independent republic?

22% Support
64% Oppose
13% Not sure/No opinion
604 Total Respondents

Attribution

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Credit

The VPR - Vermont PBS 2020 Poll is a collaboration between Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS and was made possible by our supporters. Braun Research conducted the poll under the direction of Dr. Richard Clark.