Maurice Carroll, Director

Quinnipiac University Polling Institute

Rubenstein Associates, Inc.,

Public Relations
Pat Smith (212) 843-8026

FOR RELEASE: JUNE 23, 2010

NEW YORK STATE IS DYSFUNCTIONAL, 83% OF VOTERS SAY,

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;
CANDIDATES SHOULD PLEDGE TO FIX DISTRICT LINES
New York State government is dysfunctional, 83 percent of voters say, the highest number ever
measured in the state, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
A total of 80 percent of New York State voters are “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very
dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the state, also the highest dissatisfaction ever in
New York, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.
New York State voters say 59 – 21 percent that all candidates for state office should sign
a pledge that they will support the creation of an independent group to draw legislative district
lines. There is no difference in support among Democrats, Republicans or independent voters.
Nineteen percent of voters would vote against a candidate who refuses to sign the pledge
on that issue alone. There is little difference in support among political or regional groups.
New York State voters disapprove 76 – 16 percent of the way the State Legislature is
doing its job, the highest disapproval ever recorded for this group.
To clean house in Albany, all New York State senators, even their own local senator,
should be voted out of office this November, voters say 51 – 36 percent. Voters say 50 – 34
percent that State Assembly members, even their own representative, should go, too.
“New Yorkers are fed up with Albany. The resentment is bigger than we’ve ever
measured. Just about half think that the whole Legislature should be voted out of office – even
their own state senator and Assembly member,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac
University Polling Institute.
-more-
Quinnipiac University Poll/June 23, 2010 – page 2
“That move led by former Mayor Ed Koch to force candidates to pledge support for
drawing of political district lines by an independent group – not by the State Legislature – wins
solid support. As a matter of fact, one in five New Yorkers say that they’d vote on that issue
alone against any candidate who won’t sign the pledge,” Carroll added.
New York State voters say 62 – 19 percent that if an independent group were to draw up
the district lines from which members of the U.S. Congress and the State Legislature are elected,
that would make for more competitive elections.
Gov. David Paterson is most to blame for the dysfunction in state government, 24 percent
of New York State voters say, while 27 percent blame the Democrats in the State Legislature and
19 percent blame the Republicans. Among independent voters, 27 percent blame the Democrats,
while 20 percent blame Paterson and 17 percent blame the Republicans.
“By now, the adjective ‘dysfunctional’ seems to apply automatically to the Legislature.
Who’s to blame? Surprise! Democrats blame the Republicans and Republicans blame the
Democrats. But independent voters put more of the blame on Gov. Paterson and the
Democrats,” Carroll said.
New York State’s late budget is a “very serious” problem, 80 percent of voters say, while
15 percent say “somewhat serious.”
Everyone is equally to blame for the late budget, 34 percent say, while 22 percent blame
the Governor; 18 percent blame the Democrats and 17 percent blame the Republicans.
From June 15 – 20, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,592 New York State registered
voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and
nationwide as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed– http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us
on Twitter.

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17. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Approve 16% 9% 28% 7% 17% 15% 9% 44%

Disapprove 76 85 65 87 78 75 85 47
DK/NA 7 7 7 6 5 9 7 9

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Approve 26% 9% 12% 22% 15%

Disapprove 61 87 82 69 79
DK/NA 13 4 6 10 6

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
(*Low app also 16% Feb 2010)

APPROVE...... DIS...
High Low High
Jun 23 Apr 14 Feb 3 Dec 16 Apr 4 Jun 23 Jun 23
2010 2010 2010 2009 2007 2010* 2010

Approve 16 21 16 17 34 16 16
Disapprove 76 68 71 72 43 76 76
DK/NA 7 10 13 11 23 7 7

19. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sheldon Silver is handling his job as State
Assembly Speaker?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Approve 26% 20% 35% 21% 24% 28% 21% 46%

Disapprove 39 52 26 50 48 33 47 17
DK/NA 34 27 39 30 29 39 32 36

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Approve 24% 20% 21% 35% 22%

Disapprove 35 49 46 32 39
DK/NA 41 31 32 33 39

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sheldon Silver is handling his job as
State Assembly Speaker?

APPROVE.......
High Low
Jun 23 Apr 14 Apr 6 Feb 17 Jan 15 Dec 24 Apr 14
2010 2010 2009 2009 2009 2008 2010

Approve 26 25 28 30 31 38 25
Disapprove 39 40 36 33 34 34 40
DK/NA 34 35 36 37 34 38 35
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20. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State
today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very
dissatisfied?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Very satisfied 1% 1% 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 2%
Smwht satisfied 18 9 29 13 19 16 13 34
Smwht dissatisfied 33 29 37 28 28 37 31 42
Very dissatisfied 47 61 31 57 50 44 54 23
DK/NA 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 -

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Very satisfied 5% 1% 2% 1% 2%
Smwht satisfied 16 8 10 28 16
Smwht dissatisfied 31 27 28 37 36
Very dissatisfied 48 64 61 34 44
DK/NA - - - 1 2

TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State
today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very
dissatisfied?

VERY+SMWHT SAT
High Low
Jun 23 Apr 14 Feb 3 Dec 16 Oct 21 Feb 25 Jun 23
2010 2010 2010 2009 2009 1998 2010

Very satisfied 1 2 2 2 2 13 1
Smwht satisfied 18 20 24 22 28 60 18
Smwht dissatisfied 33 32 35 37 37 20 33
Very dissatisfied 47 46 39 38 31 7 47
DK/NA 1 1 1 - 1 1 1

25. New York State has not had a budget since April 1, the start of the fiscal year. Do
you think that the state's failure to pass a budget is a very serious problem, a somewhat
serious problem, a not very serious problem, or not a problem at all?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Very serious 80% 79% 78% 83% 79% 81% 79% 86%
Smwht serious 15 18 16 14 15 16 17 10
Not very serious 3 1 4 2 4 2 2 4
Not a problem at all 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
DK/NA 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 -

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Very serious 76% 87% 85% 75% 78%

Smwht serious 19 10 12 19 17
Not very serious 3 2 2 4 4
Not a problem at all 2 1 1 1 1
DK/NA - - - 1 1

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TREND: New York State has not had a budget since April 1, the start of the fiscal year.
Do you think that the state's failure to pass a budget is a very serious problem,
somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at all?

Jun 23 Jun 16 Apr 15 Jun 28

2010 2004 2004 2001

Very serious prob 80 55 43 51

Smwht serious 15 34 39 32
Not very serious 3 7 11 11
Not a prob at all 1 3 5 5
DK/NA 1 2 2 2

26. Who do you think is most to blame for the state's failure to pass a budget –
Governor Paterson, the Republicans in the state legislature, or the Democrats in the
state legislature?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Gov Paterson 22% 21% 26% 18% 17% 26% 19% 34%
Reps in state leg 17 4 27 13 19 15 13 30
Dems in state leg 18 40 6 21 23 15 23 5
ALL EQUALLY(VOL) 34 26 31 40 35 33 35 25
DK/NA 9 8 9 9 7 11 9 6

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Gov Paterson 28% 21% 22% 20% 24%

Reps in state leg 20 14 15 21 13
Dems in state leg 8 21 19 18 18
ALL EQUALLY(VOL) 35 35 35 32 36
DK/NA 9 9 9 9 9

27. As you may know, the state legislature draws the district lines by which members of
the state legislature and Congress are elected. A reform group has asked all candidates
for New York State offices to sign a pledge that they will support creation of an
independent group to draw legislative district lines. Do you think candidates should or
should not sign this pledge?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Shld sign 59% 59% 60% 59% 65% 54% 59% 69%
Shld not sign 21 20 22 22 19 22 20 19
DK/NA 20 22 18 19 16 24 22 11

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Shld sign 50% 58% 57% 63% 55%

Shld not sign 19 23 22 18 23
DK/NA 30 19 21 19 21

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28. Would you vote against a candidate who refuses to sign this pledge solely on this
issue?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Yes 19% 15% 24% 17% 22% 17% 16% 32%

No 68 75 65 70 68 68 72 59
DK/NA 13 10 11 13 10 15 12 9

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Yes 21% 18% 19% 24% 13%

No 68 71 70 63 73
DK/NA 11 11 11 13 14

29. If an independent group drew the district lines from which legislators and members of
Congress are elected, would that make for more competitive elections or not?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Yes 62% 54% 65% 65% 67% 57% 61% 68%

No 19 24 18 18 16 22 18 23
DK/NA 19 21 16 17 16 21 21 9

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Yes 57% 61% 61% 63% 62%

No 26 21 22 19 15
DK/NA 17 18 18 18 23

30. Which comes closer to your view about your State Senator - A) There are a lot of
problems in Albany but your State Senator has done a good job and deserves to be
reelected or B) Almost everyone in the State Senate should be thrown out including your
State Senator?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Deserves reelection 36% 26% 45% 32% 31% 40% 37% 36%
Shld be thrown out 51 65 40 57 57 47 52 45
DK/NA 13 8 15 11 12 13 11 19

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Deserves reelection 36% 34% 34% 37% 36%

Shld be thrown out 49 54 53 49 53
DK/NA 15 13 13 13 11

TREND: Which comes closer to your view about your State Senator - there are a lot of
problems in Albany but your State Senator has done a good job and deserves to be
reelected or almost everyone in the State Senate should be thrown out including your
State Senator?
Jun 23 Apr 14 Dec 16 Aug 18
2010 2010 2009 2009

Deserves reelection 36 39 41 40
Shld be thrown out 51 50 46 49

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DK/NA 13 11 13 11
31. Which comes closer to your view about your State Assembly member - A) There are a lot
of problems in Albany but your State Assembly member has done a good job and deserves to
be reelected or B) Almost everyone in the State Assembly should be thrown out including
your State Assembly member?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Deserves reelection 34% 27% 42% 29% 30% 38% 32% 47%
Shld be thrown out 50 62 40 56 56 46 54 38
DK/NA 16 11 18 15 14 17 14 15

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Deserves reelection 37% 33% 34% 37% 30%

Shld be thrown out 48 53 52 48 53
DK/NA 15 14 14 16 18

TREND: Which comes closer to your view about your State Assembly member – there are a lot
of problems in Albany but your State Assembly member has done a good job and deserves to
be reelected or almost everyone in the State Assembly should be thrown out including your
State Assembly member?

Jun 23 Apr 14
2010 2010

Deserves reelection 34 35
Shld be thrown out 50 48
DK/NA 16 17

32. Some people have said that New York State government is dysfunctional. Do you agree
or disagree?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Agree 83% 86% 77% 88% 85% 81% 87% 76%

Disagree 14 12 19 11 12 15 11 22
DK/NA 3 2 4 1 2 4 3 2

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Agree 86% 89% 89% 75% 87%

Disagree 10 8 9 23 9
DK/NA 3 3 3 3 4

TREND: Some people have said that New York state government is dysfunctional. Do you
agree or disagree?

Jun 23 Dec 16 Aug 18 Jun 22 Apr 7

2010 2009 2009 2009 2009

Agree 83 76 77 78 71
Disagree 14 19 19 18 23
DK/NA 3 5 3 4 6

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33. (If agree in q32) Who do you think is most to blame - Governor Paterson or the
Republicans in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?

AGREE Q32...........................................
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk

Gov Paterson 24% 23% 27% 20% 20% 26% 22% 28%
Reps in state leg 19 4 32 17 20 19 15 30
Dems in state leg 27 52 11 27 32 22 31 10
DK/NA 31 21 29 36 28 33 31 32

UpState..... UpState
Urban Othr Total NYC Sub

Gov Paterson 34% 25% 26% 19% 25%

Reps in state leg 15 16 16 26 17
Dems in state leg 19 29 27 25 28
DK/NA 33 30 31 31 30

TREND: (If agree) Who do you think is most to blame - Governor Paterson, the Republicans
in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?

AGREE Q32....................
Jun 23 Dec 16 Jun 22 Apr 7
2010 2009 2009 2009

Paterson 24 17 23 21
Republicans in leg 19 21 25 21
Democrats in leg 27 28 21 25
DK/NA 31 34 31 33