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Mar. 30, 2001

N.C. Public Opinion Takes Wait-and-See Approach On Governor Easley’s Job Performance

RALEIGH – Almost 100 days into the first term of Governor
Mike Easley, a recent poll conducted for the NC Center for Voter Education shows that many North Carolinians are not yet ready to pass judgment on the new Governor.

Respondents were asked: “Do you approve or disapprove of
the job Mike Easley is doing as Governor?” Almost half of all respondents -- 47.5% -- approved of his job performance. Only 17.8% disapproved. Most notably, 34.7% offered no opinion.

“If this were a mid-term report card,Governor Easley would receive an ‘incomplete,’" said Jesse Rutledge, a spokesman for the NC Center for Voter Education. “It seems that most North Carolinians haven't had enough time to evaluate his job performance."

Respondents were asked a similar question about President George W. Bush. He received an approval rating of 54.4%, while 19.8% disapproved. One in four, or 25.8%, offered no opinion on the President’s job
performance.

Governor Easley’s first three months have been marked by a huge shortfall in the state budget, which resulted in a hiring freeze and budget reductions for state agencies. The low disapproval rating and high undecided rating indicates most North Carolinians either approve of how he has handled the budget crisis, or think it is too soon to say if Easley has taken the right approach.

“Governor Easley is still benefiting from the honeymoon period,” Rutledge added. “The electorate will probably become more polarized in coming months, as ever more difficult decisions come across the Governor’s desk. So far, though, Governor Easley appears to be receiving the benefits of any doubts.”

The statewide poll of 500 likely voters was conducted on March 21st and 22nd, 2001 by Strategic Analysis & Messaging, a Raleigh-based polling firm. The margin of error is +/- 5%.

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The NC Center for Voter Education is a non-partisan,
not-for-profit organization based in Raleigh dedicated to improving the quality and responsiveness of North Carolina’s election system. Former U.S. Sen. Robert Morgan serves as chairman of the board.