More Interest in Hurricane Sandy than Election
Just over half of the public (53%) say they followed news about Hurricane Sandy and the storm’s impact very closely last week, outpacing interest in the 2012 presidential election (47% very closely) and news about the U.S. economy (38% very closely).
Record Shares of Young Adults Have Finished Both High School and College
In 2012, for the first time ever, one-third of the nation’s 25 to 29-year-olds have completed at least a bachelor’s degree. College completion is also now at record levels among key demographic groups.
Obama Gains Edge in Campaign’s Final Days
Barack Obama has edged ahead of Mitt Romney in the final days of the presidential campaign. Obama holds a 48% to 45% lead among likely voters. The Pew Research Center’s final estimate of the national popular vote is Obama 50% and Romney 47%, when the undecided vote is allocated between the two candidates.
Latinos Express Growing Confidence In Personal Finances, Nation’s Direction
Compared with 2011, more Latinos express satisfaction with the direction of the country, report that their finances are in “excellent” or “good” shape and expect their family’s finances to improve in the next 12 months.
News Coverage for Both Candidates More Negative
Both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have received more negative news coverage than positive in the general election, but coverage shifted markedly when the debates began. Obama fared much better in September, while Romney had the edge in October, according to a new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Over Half of Registered Voters Have Watched Political Videos Online
Some 66% of registered voters who use the internet—55% of all registered voters—have gone online this election season to watch videos related to the election campaign or political issues.
Nonvoters: Who They Are, What They Think
A sizable minority of adults choose not to vote or are unable to vote. They will affect the outcome of the presidential election by their absence. Who are they?
How Teens Research In the Digital Age
Teachers participating in a Pew Internet study say the impact of today’s digital environment on their students’ research habits and skills is mostly positive, but not without drawbacks.
American, Chinese Publics Increasingly Wary of the Other
As economic and geopolitical competition grows between the U.S. and China, Americans say they want to get tougher with China on economic issues and the Chinese hold a more negative view of relations with the U.S.
In Deadlocked Race, Neither Side Has Ground Advantage
Just as the presidential race is deadlocked, the candidates are running about even when it comes to the ground game. Voters report being contacted at about the same rates by each campaign. And neither candidate has a clear advantage among early voters.
