As students begin classes for the 2014 fall semester, the topic on everybody’s lips is the rapidly progressing gubernatorial race between incumbent Republican Gov. Scott Walker and his Democratic challenger, Mary Burke.
According to an August Marquette University Law School Poll, 47.5 percent of registered voters are supporting Walker, while Burke is backed by 44.1 percent. This can be compared to statistics recorded in July, when Burke had 44.8 percent of the support, with Walker beating her by only one percentage point. Among those who said they are certain to vote in the elections, Burke has 48.6 percent while Walker has fallen behind by just 2.1 percent.
Voter involvement is another defining factor and 75 percent of respondents said they are absolutely certain to vote, of which 77 percent are Republicans and 82 percent are Democrats.
“Some registered voters may cast a ballot who today are not certain that they will,” said professor of Law and Public Policy at Marquette University, Charles Franklin. “On the other hand, even among people registered who said they are absolutely certain to vote, we know that a portion of them won’t actually do so.”
When it comes to jobs, 48 percent of registered voters said Wisconsin is lagging behind other states in job creation, while 34 percent said the state is adding jobs at about the same rate as other states.
Overall, 54 percent of Wisconsin voters said the state is headed in the right direction while 42 percent said the opposite, according to the same poll.
The election is scheduled to take place on Nov. 4, 2014.
