What’s on Pa.’s mind before Election Day? A new poll points the way | The Numbers Racket

In the last few days before Election Day, Franklin & Marshall College has released it’s October polling data. 

The poll surveyed 558 likely voters in Pennsylvania, including 268 Democrats, 229 Republicans and 61 independents. 

The October poll has a 5 percent margin of error. 

Let’s take a look: 

99 Problems

Respondents ranked COVID-19 the most important problem facing Pennsylvania (27 percent).

Rounding out the top 5 were:  

2. Government and politics; 16 percent
3. Unemployment, personal finance; 10 percent
4. Economy, finances; 8 percent
5. Taxes; 6 percent

Voting

Up slightly from September, 98 percent of respondents said they were certain to vote in the Nov. 3 general election. 

42 … the percentage of respondents who said they would vote by mail-in ballot. 

4 … the percentage of respondents who said they would vote by absentee ballot. 

53 … the percentage of respondents who said they would vote in person. 

1 … the percentage of respondents who said they did not know how they plan to vote. 

Of those respondents who said they would vote via mail-in or absentee ballot, 85 percent said they have completed and returned ballot. 

For or Against? 

Seventy-eight percent of respondents who said they were voting for Donald Trump said the vote was for him, rather than against Biden. 

Fifty-four percent of respondents who said they were voting for Joe Biden said the vote was against Trump while 44 percent said their vote was for Biden.