755 Registered Voters on Long Island

(Nassau and Suffolk Counties),

May 28 - June 2, 2013

Survey of Registered Voters on Long Island May/June 2013

Hello, may I speak with [FIRST NAME ONLY] please?
0\QDPHLVBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB)LUVW,PQRWVHOOLQJDQ\WKLQJRUDVNLQJIRUPRQH\,PIURPHarstad
Research, the national public opinion research firm. We are doing a survey on Long Island, and would like
to ask your opinion on some interesting topics.

SCREENER
First, does anyone in this household work for a radio station, a TV station, or a newspaper?
No ........................................................................................................... 100%
Yes ..........................................................................................................
- Terminate
Refused/DK/NS ......................................................................................
- Terminate
Sex [Do not ask] [n=755]
Male ........................................................................................................
Female ....................................................................................................

46%
54%

[Asked of a random of Long Island voters] In your opinion, have immigrants coming to Long Island in
recent years made Long Island a better place to live, a worse place to live, or hasn't it made much
difference? [n=376]
Better Place ............................................................................................
Worse Place ...........................................................................................
No difference ..........................................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

25%
27%
42%
6%

[Asked of a random of Long Island voters] In your opinion, have undocumented immigrants coming to
Long Island in recent years made Long Island a better place to live, a worse place to live, or hasn't it made
much difference? [n=379]
Better Place ............................................................................................
Worse Place ...........................................................................................
No difference ..........................................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

11%
39%
39%
12%

And in your opinion, is illegal immigration onto Long Island [rotate 'increasing / decreasing'] increasing,
decreasing, or staying about the same? [If respondent answers 'increasing / decreasing,' ask:] Is it
[increasing / decreasing] a lot or [increasing / decreasing] a little? [n=755]
Increasing ...............................................................................................
Decreasing..............................................................................................

47%
5%

Increasing a lot .......................................................................................

Increasing a little.....................................................................................
Decreasing a lot ......................................................................................
Decreasing a little ...................................................................................
Staying about the same ..........................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

30%
17%
2%
3%
32%
15%

Next, I'd like to describe the bipartisan immigration reform plan recently announced by eight U.S. senators,
and get your reaction. The plan has four main elements:
x

One, strengthen border security by deploying better surveillance technology, expanding a

border fence with Mexico, and keeping track of immigrants who are here.

Two, require employers to use a computer on-line verification system that ensures all
employees are legally authorized to work in the United States and FINE those companies
that employ undocumented immigrants.

Three, undocumented immigrants already in the United States with no criminal record could
register for legal status, and could earn citizenship over time if they work, learn English, and
pay taxes.

And four, revise the guidelines for future legal immigration by increasing the number of visas
issued for high tech, agricultural, and other workers with the number of new visas going up
or down depending on the needs of our economy.

Overall, do you approve or disapprove of this immigration reform plan? [If respondent answers Dpprove/
dLVDSSURYHDVN@ And do you strongly [approve/disapprove] or somewhat [approve / disapprove]? [n=755]
Approve ..................................................................................................
Disapprove..............................................................................................

80%
17%

Approve strongly..................................................................................
Approve somewhat ..............................................................................
Disapprove strongly .............................................................................
Disapprove somewhat .........................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

39%
41%
8%
9%
4%

If your member of Congress were to vote for this immigration reform plan, would you be more likely or less
likely to vote to re-elect your member of Congress, or would this issue not affect your vote either way?
[n=755]

More likely...............................................................................................
Less likely ...............................................................................................
Not affect either way ...............................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

46%
10%
39%
4%

[Rotate next two questions]

Next, ,PJRLQJWRUHDG\RXWZRpairs of statements about immigrants and immigration on Long Island. For
each pair of statements, please tell me which one comes closer to your view. [Rotate]
[Some / other] people say immigrants generally come to Long Island to work
hard and provide for their families.
[Other / some] people say immigrants generally come to Long Island to take
advantage of the system and get benefits like welfare.
Which is closer to your view? [n=755]
Work hard / provide for families..............................................................
Take advantage of system / get benefits like welfare ............................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

60%
31%
9%

Next, ,PJRLQJWRUHDG\RXWZRpairs of statements about immigrants and immigration on Long Island. For
each pair of statements, please tell me which one comes closer to your view. [Rotate]
[Some / other] people say immigrants generally come to Long Island to work
in low-skill, low-paying jobs.
[Other / some] people say immigrants generally come to Long Island to work
in a wide range of jobs including high-skill work and starting businesses.
Which is closer to your view? [n=755]
Work in low-skill / low-pay jobs...............................................................
Work in range of jobs including high-skill / start businesses..................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

61%
29%
9%

[Asked of a random of Long Island voters] Do you favor or oppose including a provision in this
immigration reform plan to guarantee same-sex couples the right to seek citizenship for their partners
the same right as exists for any other couple? [If respondent answers favor / opposeDVN@ And do you
strongly [favor / oppose] or somewhat [favor / oppose]?
Favor .......................................................................................................
Oppose ...................................................................................................

71%
22%

Strongly favor..........................................................................................
Somewhat favor ......................................................................................
Strongly oppose ......................................................................................
Somewhat oppose ..................................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

46%
25%
16%
6%
7%

DEMOGRAPHICS
Our last few questions are about you and your family and are for statistical purposes only.
May I ask how old you are? [n=755]
18 to 34 years .........................................................................................
35 to 49 years .........................................................................................
50 to 64 years .........................................................................................
65 years or older.....................................................................................
Refused/DK/NS ......................................................................................

21%
26%
32%
22%
*%

Thinking about your approach to political issues, would you describe yourself as very liberal, somewhat
liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative? [n=755]
Liberal .....................................................................................................
Moderate.................................................................................................
Conservative ...........................................................................................

31%
29%
34%

Very liberal ..............................................................................................

Somewhat liberal ....................................................................................
Moderate.................................................................................................
Somewhat conservative .........................................................................
Very conservative ...................................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

10%
21%
29%
24%
10%
6%

What is the last grade or level of school you have completed? [Read list if necessary] [n=755]
High school graduate or less ..................................................................
Some college but less than two years of college ................................
Some college two years or more/AA degree ......................................
College graduate/bachelors degree/BA/BS ...........................................
Postgraduate courses.............................................................................
Masters degree / MBA / Law degree......................................................
PhD or MD ..............................................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

20%
10%
16%
28%
4%
16%
3%
2%

Do you RU\RXUSDUHQWVKDSSHQWRFRPHIURPD/DWLQR+LVSDQLFRU6SDQLVK-speaking, an African

American, or an Asian background? >,I\HVDVNZKLFKRQH@>,IQRDVN@-XVWWREHVXUHZHUH
representing everybody, may I ask your race? [n=755]
Latino / Spanish-speaking / Hispanic .....................................................
White / Anglo / WASP / Caucasian, etc .................................................
African-American / Black ........................................................................
Asian .......................................................................................................
Native American / American Indian ........................................................
Other / Mixed ..........................................................................................
Refused ..................................................................................................
DK/NS .....................................................................................................

Thank you for taking our survey, your

answers have been extremely helpful.
4

10%
72%
7%
3%
1%
1%
4%
2%

METHODOLOGY
The May 2013 Long Island Voter Survey was conducted by HARSTAD STRATEGIC RESEARCH, INC, the
national public opinion research firm in Boulder, Colorado. The survey results are based upon 755
random telephone interviews among active voters in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Sample was obtained
from a list of registered voters. Interviews were conducted by live interviewers reaching land lines and cell
phones from May 28-June 2, 2013.
This random sample of 755 has a worst-case 95% confidence interval of plus or minus 3.6% about any
one reported percentage. For some questions, the sample was randomly assigned into two halves.
Certain questions were asked of one half, while other questions were asked of the other. For questions
labeled Asked of a random of Long Island voters, the results have a worst-case 95% confidence
interval of plus or minus 5.0% about any one reported percentage.