Profile of the Electorate
Although Bill Clinton hoped to win a majority of the popular vote, that goal eluded him as it had in 1992. Nevertheless, he did well enough among certain swing voters to carry him to victory--capturing moderates and independents. He also won all age groups and most education levels. Conservatives overwhelmingly went for Bob Dole, as did white born-again Christians.
These tables--reading across--show the percentage of voters in each group listed at left who voted for:
*--*
% of All BILL BOB ROSS Voters CLINTON DOLE PEROT 100% ALL VOTERS 49% 41% 9% POLITICAL AFFILIATION 42% Democrats 87% 7% 5% 21% Independents 42% 35% 20% 36% Republicans 8% 86% 5% POLITICAL IDEALOGY 17% Liberals 83% 8% 6% 48% Moderates 58% 30% 11% 35% Conservatives 18% 74% 7% WHEN DID YOU DECIDE HOW YOU WOULD VOTE? 11% Since last weekend 35% 40% 23% 18% After the debates 49% 36% 13% 71% Before then 51% 43% 5% AGE 18% 18-29 50% 38% 10% 35% 30-44 46% 43% 10% 30% 45-64 48% 43% 8% 17% 65 or over 52% 39% 6% EDUCATION 28% High school graduate or less 54% 35% 10% 26% Some college 46% 43% 9% 26% College degree 43% 46% 9% 20% Graduate school 49% 43% 6% RELIGION 56% Protestant 40% 51% 8% 25% Catholic 52% 37% 10% 4% Jewish 79% 15% 4% 12% White born-again Christian 22% 69% 7% FAMILY INCOME 14% Less Than $20,000 62% 25% 10% 30% $20,000 to $39,999 52% 38% 9% 24% $40,000 to $59,999 45% 44% 9% 14% $60,000 to $74,999 49% 43% 7% 18% $75,000 or more 40% 53% 6% MARITAL STATUS 62% Married 44% 47% 8% 33% Not married 56% 33% 9%
*--*
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% where some answer categories are not shown.
Source: Los Angeles Times exit poll conducted Nov. 5
HOW THE POLL WAS CONDUCTED: The Los Angeles Times Poll interviewed 5,723 voters who cast ballots in the general election Tuesday as they exited 100 polling places across the nation. Precincts were chosen based on the pattern of turnout in past general elections. The survey was a self-administered, confidential questionnaire. The margin of sampling error for all is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For some subgroups, the error margin may be somewhat higher.