Upload
afphqnewjersey
View
218
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
1/20
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
New Jersey SurveysMay 11-16, 2011
A review of the potential 2011electorate and their views on theState Supreme Court and their
decisions.
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
2/20
The Supreme Court Operates in Anonymity
78 percent of voters have not heard of Chief JusticeStuart Rabner. 84 percent have not heard of Justice
Virginia Long, the Courts longest serving member, on
the court since 1999.
Overall, the Supreme Court has an upside downFavorable/Unfavorable rating of 13-15 with 19%mixed. It is 15-0 with liberals, 17-15 with moderates
and 8-18 with conservatives.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
3/20
The State Supreme Court is viewed as liberal,
and those who view it as liberal are negative.
Overall, 34 percent say the Supreme Court is liberal, 24percent moderate and 9 percent conservative.
Those who view it as liberal are 9-29 unfavorable while
those who say it is moderate are 21-1 favorable. Among those favorable to the court, 25 percent say it is
liberal, 42 percent moderate and 19 percentconservative. Among those unfavorable to the court,70 percent say it is liberal, 3 percent moderate and 10percent conservative.
Views on the court polarize the electorate.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
4/20
Abbott Question Wording
The Abbott Court decisions require
wealthier, mostly suburban and rural
school districts to pay higher propertytaxes to keep property taxes down in
poorer, mostly urban districts. Do you
think these decisions were gooddecisions or bad decisions?
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
5/20
Voters Dislike the Abbott Decisions
by a 29-52 margin.
Overall, 27% of voters have heard of the Abbott Courtdecision and were able to correctly identify it.
Those aware of the case opposed it by 27-56. Liberals support Abbott by 43-32 while moderates
oppose it by 37-46 and conservatives by 22-56.
Generic Democrats (in legislative races) support it by
53-30 while generic Republicans are 17-65 againstapolarizing 71 point shift.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
6/20
Urban Voters Are Lukewarm on Abbott.
Within the Abbott Districts (13% of the sample), 35%of voters could correctly identify the Abbott decision.
Overall only half of urban voters supported the Abbott
decision while 30% opposed it. Among those whocould correctly identify the decision, only 43%supported it while 36 percent are opposed.
37% of Africans had heard of Abbott, but overall,blacks backed the decision by only 53-21. 28% ofLatinos could identify this decision and they support itby a narrow 48-36.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
7/20
Voters, by a 50-37 margin, wanted Governor
Christie to stand up to the Court
Governor Christie has said he will defy the State
Supreme Court if they order even more tax dollars
for poorer, mostly urban districts. Should he defy
the court? Liberals disagree, but only by 37-56 and moderates by
only 44-46, but conservatives support defying the courtby a whopping 52-26 margin. Generic Democrats
disagree by 30-57 while generic Republicans agree by59-24a solid 62 point shift.
Christie favorables supported the move by 63-19.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
8/20
Abbott District Voters Split 43-43 on whether
Christie should have defied the Court.
Even voters in the Cities have had enough of theout-of-control Supreme Court.
Generic Democrats in the Abbotts (who outnumber
Republicans by 73-13), oppose defying the Court,but only by 38-45.
Even 35 percent of Obama Favorables in theAbbotts wanted Christie to stand up to the Court(54 percent opposed). Latinos support ed thatposition by 44-25 but Africans opposed it by 16-68.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
9/20
Mount Laurel Question Wording
The Supreme Court Mount Laurel
decisions require every New Jersey town
to zone for high-density housing for lowerincome families and to subsidize the
property taxes on that housing. Do you
think these decisions were good decisionsor bad decisions?
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
10/20
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
11/20
Right to Choose v Byrne Wording
The Supreme Court decision in Right to
Choose v Byrne required taxpayers to pay for
abortions for women who could not afford
them. Do you think this is a good decision
or a bad decision?
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
12/20
By 26-62, voters oppose the RTC v Byrne
ruling mandating taxpayer paid abortions
Liberals support this decision, but only by 48-33.Moderates oppose it by 28-62 and conservatives by 18-73. Generic Republicans are opposed 17-74 and
generic Democrats split 41-42 against.
There is a split by religious attendance. Those whoattend services weekly (45%) oppose this decision by
15-73, those who never attend services (28%) oppose itby a smaller 37-49.
Men oppose it 30-58 and women by 24-63.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
13/20
Just 11% believe judges should
have the power to raise taxes.
Is it proper for Judges to order the
legislature to increase taxes in certain
circumstances?
Only 21% of generic Democrats, 19% of Obamafavorables, 16% of Latinos and Africans, 15% of
Christie unfavorables and 13% of those in the AbbottDistricts agreed with this. And only 22% of those whosupport the Abbott decision agree with this statement.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
14/20
Voters by 59-31 back replacing the Court
appointment process with direct election.
Should State Supreme Court Justices be elected
by the people or appointed by the Governor and
approved by the State Senate?
The idea of electing justices has support acrossthe board. Conservatives back it by 62-30,
moderates by 58-30 and liberals by a surprising65-26. Generic Republicans support it by 61-31and generic Democrats by a bigger 65-25.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
15/20
Voters by 65-24 back Retention
Elections for Supreme Court Justices
In some states, Supreme Court Justices are
appointed for a term of six to eight years and then
have to go before the voters for retention elections
to stay on the court. Do you like this idea or not?
This concept actually has more appeal to liberals thanconservatives. While conservatives support this by 59-26 and generic Republicans by 59-28, moderates backthem by 69-22, generic Democrats by 69-21 and liberalsby a whopping 78-17.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
16/20
Christies Unfavorables are lower
than October 2009
The Governors unfavorable ratings have fluctuated
between the high 20s and low 30s for much of the pasttwo years including the post-primary period.
His 29% unfavorable rating in this survey compares to31% as a candidate in October 2009.
Christies favorables have increased from 28% to 50%
in that same time. His numbers have improved from31-24 with men to 52-27 today and from 25-27 with
women to 48-32. His gains have been biggest amongthe most conservative voters.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
17/20
The likely November electorate is
conservative and leans Republican.
Conservatives outnumber liberals among likely votersby 42-17, and an even bigger 44-17 among definite
voters, a small increase from 39-18 among definite
voters in October 2009. Just 32 percent consider themselves moderates, 31
percent with definite voters, down from 35 percent inOctober 2009.
The share of definite voters who consider themselvesconservative nearly equals the liberal and moderate total
combined.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
18/20
Conclusions
The Supreme Court operates in anonymity and theJustices are unknown.
The Court is perceived as liberal and those who see it
that way are very negative. Voters strongly oppose the Abbott, Mount Laurel and
Right to Choose decisions and even voters in theAbbott Districts are skeptical of the decision.
The public would have supported Governor Christiehad he stood up to the Court.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
19/20
Conclusions
Only a tiny fraction agree with political insiders,editorial writers and academics that the Supreme Courtshould be able to force the legislature to raise taxes.
The Court issue, if utilized by Republicans, has thepotential of polarizing the electorate in their favor,perhaps enough to deliver them the legislature.
The public across the board is very favorable to theidea of electing judges and even more supportive ofjudicial retention electionsand this has broadbipartisan and cross-ideological support.
Neighborhood Research Corp.Sparta New Jersey
7/30/2019 Public Perceptions of the New Jersey Supreme Court - May, 2011
20/20