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Wilder School Commonwealth Poll

Multiple times a year, our statewide Wilder School Commonwealth Poll provides policymakers with an up-to-date snapshot of public opinion on current policy issues in the commonwealth. On this page you'll find information about recent poll highlights, as well as poll data organized by topic and by date. If you would like additional information about the poll, or if a different version of any document is needed for greater accessibility, please contact us.

Recent highlights

Infographic with poll results

Our most recent poll was conducted from October 13-22, 2020, with results released in October 2020. The poll asked Virginians for their perspectives on:

  • Voting intentions for the presidential and Virginia senate races
  • The Amy Coney Barrett nomination
  • The coronavirus pandemic

 

The poll's methodolgy is as follows:

  • 803 adult Virginians surveyed
  • Phone survey (Landlines/Cell) - dual sample design on listed landline numbers and random digit dialed (RDD) cell phone numbers
  • Sample weighted by demographics: gender, age, education, race, Hispanic origin, and region
  • Overall margin of error: +/- 4.87 percentage points

 

“Virginia voters are reflecting a trend towards Biden and the Democrats. This seems to be more of a vote against Trump, than a vote for Biden,” said L. Douglas Wilder, the 66th governor of Virginia. "The challenge for both camps is to incentivize positive reasons to vote for their respective candidates. At this point, the poll reflects that this is more an immediate task for Trump and Republicans. Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court seems to have played no role in influencing their vote."

“Our polling across 2020 appears to reaffirm the shift we have seen over the past 12 years in Virginia — that the commonwealth is less a purple state and becoming a solidly blue state,” said Farrah Stone, Ph.D., director of the Commonwealth Poll at the Wilder School. “Still, voters for Trump are very much supportive of the president, while Biden voters are just as likely to support their candidate as they are to be anti-Trump. There is certainly a question of whether the likely Virginia voter supports Democratic policy as much as the Democratic alternative in this race.”

For more information about the results, questions, and data, visit the link below:

  • Biden voters more likely to be voting against Trump than for Biden - October 28, 2020

 

CNN 2020 Presidential Election Poll

We are proud to have the Wilder School’s Commonwealth Poll selected as a Presidential Election Poll by CNN Politics for the first time in VCU’s history.

Selection as a CNN-approved poll solidifies the Commonwealth Poll among the top polling operations in the nation while elevating the voice of Virginians in what could be the most consequential presidential election of our time.

Click here to read more

Visit CNN's 2020 Presidential Polling page

Poll Results by Topic

Our poll covers a vast array of topics important to policymakers across Virginia and beyond. Click the links below for more information about recent findings related to each policy area.

Poll Archives

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