(Angus Reid – CPOD Global Scan) – Many American voters assessed the moral standards of the presidential candidates before casting their ballot this year, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 70 per cent of respondents say values were important in deciding which candidate to vote for.
(Angus Reid – CPOD Global Scan) – Many American voters assessed the moral standards of the presidential candidates before casting their ballot this year, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 70 per cent of respondents say values were important in deciding which candidate to vote for.
In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. On Nov. 2, Republican incumbent George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry earned 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Honesty topped the list of moral values at 22 per cent, but most of the remaining responses were split along party lines. For Bush voters, defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman, a strong stance against abortion, family values, faith and religion were held in high regard.
Conversely, a rejection to the war in the Middle East, compassion and helping those less fortunate were considered as very important for Kerry supporters.
Polling Data
How important were moral values to you in deciding which candidate to vote for?
Total | Bush (R) | Kerry (D) | |
Very important | 45% | 59% | 30% |
Somewhat important | 35% | 30% | 40% |
Not very important | 12% | 8% | 17% |
Not at all important | 8% | 3% | 13% |
What do you mean when you say that moral values were very important to you? What values to do have in mind?
Total | Bush (R) | Kerry (D) | |
Honesty | 22% | 21% | 27% |
Marriage protection / Marriage defined | 17% | 25% | 1% |
Pro-life / Right to life /Against abortion | 15% | 22% | 3% |
Family morals / Values | 13% | 18% | 5% |
Belief in God / Faith / Religion | 13% | 17% | 6% |
Christian attitude / Biblical values / | 12% | 16% | 3% |
Integrity | 12% | 11% | 14% |
Gay rights / Homosexuality / | 8% | 8% | 9% |
Good morals / Ethics | 8% | 9% | 7% |
Abortion | 8% | 9% | 4% |
Caring / Respect for others / Compassion | 6% | 3% | 12% |
Peace / War (Should / Should | 6% | 1% | 15% |
Equality / Civil rights | 4% | 3% | 8% |
Help those less fortunate | 4% | 1% | 10% |
God in government / Maintaining the | 4% | 5% | – |
Stem cell research | 3% | 4% | 1% |
Ethics / Honesty in government | 3% | 1% | 5% |
Religious freedom | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Patriotism / Love of country / | 2% | 3% | 1% |
Pro-choice / Women’s right to choose | 2% | * | 7% |
Using Christian beliefs to run this country | 2% | 3% | – |
School prayer / God in schools | 2% | 3% | – |
Separation of Church and state | 2% | 1% | 3% |
Environment | 1% | – | 4% |
Human rights / Civil rights | 1% | * | 3% |
Consistency / Doesn’t change positions | 1% | 2% | – |
Fixing educational system | 1% | * | 2% |
Marital fidelity | 1% | 1% | – |
Caring for family / Families / The family | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Against homosexuality | * | 1% | – |
Fight / War on terrorism | * | 1% | * |
Health care for Americans | * | – | 1% |
Other | 21% | 15% | 31% |
None | 2% | 2% | 1% |
Not sure / Refused | 3% | 2% | 4% |
* Less than 0.5 per cent
Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Online interviews to 1,833 American adults who voted in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, conducted from Dec. 8 to Dec. 15, 2004. Margin of error is 2 per cent
