Obama Had Broad Support, Young Voters Supported Tax Increases, Los Angeles Exit Poll Shows

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Nov 09, 2012, 04:16 ET

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Barack Obama enjoyed broad support across every demographic of voters in the city of Los Angeles, according to an exit poll conducted by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University.

City voters chose the president over challenger Mitt Romney nearly four-to-one: 78 percent of those polled said they voted for Obama, versus 22 percent for Romney. Obama had a double-digit advantage in all age groups, all ethnicities, and all religions. The only category Romney led was among Los Angeles Republicans, where he won 83 percent of the vote.

"What's surprising about the result is that the president's support remained so strong in Los Angeles, to the point that he picked up more of John McCain's 2008 voters than Romney took from Obama's column," said Professor Fernando Guerra, director of the center.

The exit poll also found that younger voters in Los Angeles were more likely to vote in favor of Propositions 30 and 38, both of which would increase taxes statewide (Prop. 30 passed while Prop. 38 failed). Younger voters also threw more support behind Measure J, which extends an existing sales tax in Los Angeles County that would otherwise expire in 2039.

"Young voters were far more willing to approve a tax increase, but typically younger voters have not yet reached the higher income brackets that will be most affected by those increases," Guerra said.

The results below are based on a tally of 2,595 completed surveys from 50 precincts in the city. Votes for other candidates or non-responses were not included in the percentages below.

In the Presidential election, for whom did you vote today?

	Citywide	Valley	Non-Valley	Men	Women	White	Black	Latino	Asian
Barack Obama	78%	71%	83%	74%	82%	71%	99%	82%	77%
Mitt Romney	22%	29%	17%	26%	18%	29%	1%	18%	23%

How did you vote on Prop. 30, Temporary Taxes to Fund Education?

	Citywide	White	Black	Latino	Asian	18-22	23-29	30-44	45-64	65+
Yes	69%	64%	81%	73%	68%	80%	74%	74%	65%	62%
No	31%	46%	19%	27%	32%	20%	26%	26%	35%	38%

How did you vote on Prop. 38, Tax to Fund Education and Early Childhood Programs?

	Citywide	White	Black	Latino	Asian	18-22	23-29	30-44	45-64	65+
Yes	39%	29%	56%	49%	40%	50%	50%	44%	31%	37%
No	61%	71%	44%	51%	60%	50%	50%	56%	69%	63%

How did you vote on Measure B, Require Adult Film Performers to Use Condoms?

	Citywide	Men	Women	White	Black	Latino	Asian	Valley	Non-Valley
Yes	52%	39%	63%	41%	69%	62%	56%	49%	54%
No	48%	61%	37%	59%	31%	38%	44%	51%	46%

How did you vote on Measure J, Shall LA County's ½-Cent Sales Tax Continue for Another 30 Years or Until Voters Decide to End It?

	Citywide	White	Black	Latino	Asian	18-22	23-29	30-44	45-64	65+
Yes	61%	60%	64%	60%	61%	61%	69%	69%	54%	56%
No	39%	40%	36%	40%	39%	39%	31%	31%	46%	44%

The margin of error on all questions is +/-1.89%.

The survey uses CSLA's sampling methodology called the "racially stratified homogeneous precinct approach." This method addresses limitations in standard exit poll sampling that typically has not provided accurate sampling of ethnic groups in urban settings. The exit polls are designed to study the relationships between voting preferences, ethnic relations, policy preferences, community attitudes, government and community action, and quality of life, and investigate the effects of precinct qualities on voting patterns.

More than 150 student volunteers from LMU canvassed precincts throughout the day and entered data for the initial analysis.

Additional data will be available from the exit poll, including information on voter response by age, political party, sexual orientation, employment status, their presidential vote in 2008, and other demographic information. For details, contact Mason Stockstill at 310.338.5133 or [email protected].

About Loyola Marymount University

Located between the Pacific Ocean and downtown Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive university offering 60 major programs, 36 master's degrees and a doctoral degree in education from four colleges, two schools and Loyola Law School. Founded in 1911, LMU is ranked third in "Best Regional Universities/West" by U.S. News & World Report. LMU is the largest Jesuit Catholic university for undergraduates on the West Coast with more than 5,900 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate and law students. For more LMU news and events, please visit www.lmu.edu/news.

SOURCE Loyola Marymount University