Maurice Carroll, Director

Quinnipiac University Polling Institute

Rubenstein Associates, Inc.,

Public Relations
Pat Smith (212) 843-8026

FOR RELEASE: OCTOBER 3, 2008

MOST NEW YORKERS BACK THIRD TERM FOR BLOOMBERG,

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;
HE LEADS ANYONE IN ’09 PACK 5 – 1
By a margin of 54 – 42 percent, New York City voters favor extending the eight-year term limit to
12 years so they can elect Mayor Michael Bloomberg to a third term, according to a Quinnipiac
University poll released today.
This compares to a July 16 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack)
University poll in which New Yorkers opposed 56 – 38 percent extending term limits for four
more years of Mayor Bloomberg.
In this latest survey, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday amidst speculation about Mayor
Bloomberg’s plans but before his official announcement, Democrats favor 53 – 43 percent
extending term limits, while Republicans and independents support it 61 – 37 percent and 55 – 41
percent respectively. Whites back the idea 64 – 31 percent while black voters are opposed
54 – 42 percent and Hispanic voters favor the idea 51- 47 percent.
“Does this mean that New York voters like term limits less? No. It means they like
Mayor Mike more,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
Asked who they most want to see elected Mayor in 2009:
• 51 percent name Bloomberg;
• 9 percent choose Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz;
• 8 percent want City Comptroller William Thompson;
• 7 percent pick Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly;
• 7 percent name U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner;
• 5 percent pick City Council Speaker Christine Quinn;
• 4 percent name Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.
“Will it be a coronation? Bloomberg’s support is more than 50 percent. The others? Way
down in single digits. His job approval is still up in the stratosphere, where it’s been for three
years,” Carroll added.
-more-
 
Quinnipiac University Poll/October 3, 2008 – page 2
Looking at another term limit question, 52 percent of New Yorkers say Bloomberg
deserves four more years to finish his work as Mayor, while 44 percent say changing the rules in
the middle of the game is unfair.
By a 65 – 29 percent margin, New Yorkers support the basic concept of term limits.
Support is consistent among all groups.
In a question where no individual is named, New York City voters oppose 56 – 39 percent
extending the current two-term or eight-year limit so city officials could serve a third term.
And while voters would extend term limits to vote for Bloomberg, they oppose 58 – 35
percent extending term limits to give their local City Council member four more years.
“Council members’ feelings might be hurt that voters don’t want to change term limits for
them. But presumably they’ll swallow their pride and take a free ride to a third-term campaign
along with the mayor,” Carroll said.
New York City voters approve 75 – 19 percent of the job Bloomberg is doing. Approval is
consistent among Democrats, Republicans and independent voters. Whites approve 83 – 13
percent while blacks approve 69 – 23 percent and Hispanic voters approve 68 – 25 percent.
Bloomberg’s approval has topped 70 percent in every poll except one – a 69 percent rating – since
November 2005.
Approval for three other city-wide elected officials is at or close to the highest levels ever:
• 53 – 13 percent for Comptroller Thompson;
• 49 – 16 percent for Public Advocate Gotbaum;
• 48 – 22 percent for Council Speaker Quinn.
“If these leaders decide to get on the Bloomberg bandwagon and seek a third term, they’re
starting out from a good position,” Carroll said.
From September 30 – October 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,316 New York City
registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and
nationwide as a public service and for research.
For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203)
582-5201.

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3
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as
Mayor?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 75% 78% 75% 75% 83% 69% 68%

Disapprove 19 17 18 20 13 23 25
DK/NA 6 5 7 5 5 8 6

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 67% 72% 82% 76% 79% 79% 72%

Disapprove 25 21 14 17 16 15 21
DK/NA 8 7 4 7 5 6 7

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job
as Mayor? * also 75% on 3/12/08, 1/16/07 & 11/17/05

Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 12 Jan 9 Oct 3 Jul 2
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008* 2003

Approve 75 71 70 75 73 75 31
Disapprove 19 22 22 17 20 19 60
DK/NA 6 6 8 8 7 6 8

2. Now I'm going to name seven people who might run for mayor next year. After I read
all seven names, please tell me which one you would most like to see elected mayor in
2009. Here are the choices: Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough President Marty
Markowitz, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Congressman Anthony Weiner, City Council
Speaker Christine Quinn, City Comptroller William Thompson or Public Advocate Betsy
Gotbaum?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Bloomberg 51% 65% 50% 47% 60% 40% 49%

Markowitz 9 7 10 7 5 14 9
Kelly 7 13 6 7 8 6 8
Weiner 7 4 7 10 8 3 7
Quinn 5 3 6 6 6 4 7
Thompson 8 1 8 10 3 17 6
Gotbaum 4 1 5 3 3 5 3
DK/NA 9 7 8 10 7 11 11

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Bloomberg 46% 42% 66% 49% 58% 53% 49%

Markowitz 3 21 2 4 10 9 9
Kelly 9 6 3 10 6 7 7
Weiner 4 8 4 11 6 9 6
Quinn 4 5 6 6 4 5 6
Thompson 14 6 6 9 3 10 6
Gotbaum 6 3 5 4 1 1 6
DK/NA 14 9 7 7 13 7 10

Cont’d.

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Cont’d.
WITHOUT Bloomberg (Based on second choice of Bloomberg supporters)

Tot

Markowitz 15%
Kelly 19
Weiner 15
Quinn 12
Thompson 13
Gotbaum 7
DK/NA 19

TREND: Now I'm going to name seven people who might run for mayor next year. After I
read all seven names, please tell me which one you would most like to see elected
mayor in 2009. Here are the choices: Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough
President Marty Markowitz, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Congressman Anthony Weiner,
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, City Comptroller William Thompson, and Public
Advocate Betsy Gotbaum? na = not asked

Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 13

2008 2008 2008 2008

Bloomberg 51 38 na na
Markowitz 9 11 13 14
Kelly 7 12 23 22
Weiner 7 10 16 14
Quinn 5 7 10 13
Thompson 8 7 10 8
Gotbaum 4 4 6 8
DK/NA 9 10 22 21

3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police
Commissioner?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 61% 79% 56% 70% 73% 47% 58%

Disapprove 25 12 30 16 15 41 30
DK/NA 14 9 14 14 12 12 12

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 56% 56% 61% 67% 73% 68% 56%

Disapprove 28 31 22 22 18 21 28
DK/NA 17 13 16 11 9 11 16

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as
Police Commissioner? * also 70% on 2/3/06
Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7&8 Mar 13 Jan 9 Mar 9 Jan 16
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2006* 2007

Approve 61 60 59 62 60 70 52
Disapprove 25 27 30 28 23 17 34
DK/NA 14 13 11 10 16 13 14

5
4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joel Klein is handling his job as New York
City Schools Chancellor?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 42% 48% 41% 40% 45% 41% 39%

Disapprove 38 31 38 42 32 45 41
DK/NA 20 21 21 18 23 14 20

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 41% 39% 46% 39% 51% 48% 37%

Disapprove 40 43 32 41 31 32 43
DK/NA 19 18 22 21 18 20 20

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joel Klein is handling his job as New
York City Schools Chancellor?
Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 13 Jan 9 Feb 26 Mar 15
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2003 2007

Approve 42 44 37 40 40 46 33
Disapprove 38 37 41 39 37 27 43
DK/NA 20 19 22 21 24 28 24

5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Betsy Gotbaum is handling her job as
Public Advocate?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 49% 38% 52% 47% 44% 56% 50%

Disapprove 16 30 12 18 18 11 14
DK/NA 35 32 36 35 38 33 36

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 52% 48% 49% 52% 29% 44% 52%

Disapprove 12 18 12 16 31 21 13
DK/NA 36 34 38 32 40 35 35

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Betsy Gotbaum is handling her job as
Public Advocate?
Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 13 Jan 9 Oct 3 Feb 26
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2003

Approve 49 45 48 45 44 49 34
Disapprove 16 17 18 18 18 16 17
DK/NA 35 38 33 37 38 35 49

6
6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Quinn is handling her job as
City Council Speaker?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 48% 38% 53% 44% 49% 54% 44%

Disapprove 22 34 17 31 23 19 22
DK/NA 29 28 29 25 28 27 34

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 44% 49% 50% 50% 44% 47% 49%

Disapprove 25 24 17 23 23 29 18
DK/NA 31 27 32 27 33 24 33

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Quinn is handling her job as
City Council Speaker?

Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 13 Jan 9 Mar 14 May 7
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2007 2008

Approve 48 44 43 48 48 51 43
Disapprove 22 25 30 15 14 12 30
DK/NA 29 31 27 37 38 37 27

7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way William Thompson is handling his job as
City Comptroller?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 53% 43% 55% 56% 46% 67% 47%

Disapprove 13 21 11 14 11 12 19
DK/NA 34 36 34 30 43 21 34

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 57% 54% 43% 57% 59% 57% 50%

Disapprove 12 17 9 14 7 15 11
DK/NA 31 29 48 29 34 28 38

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way William Thompson is handling his job
as City Comptroller?

Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 13 Jan 9 Oct 3 Feb 26
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2003

Approve 53 51 51 44 48 53 35
Disapprove 13 13 16 11 14 13 13
DK/NA 34 36 33 46 38 34 52

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8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the city council is handling its job?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Approve 50% 44% 53% 52% 50% 57% 44%

Disapprove 31 42 28 33 30 29 39
DK/NA 18 14 19 15 20 14 18

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Approve 41% 52% 53% 51% 49% 50% 51%

Disapprove 38 33 24 31 38 35 29
DK/NA 20 15 24 17 13 16 20

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the city council is handling its job?
* also 50% on 3/13/08
Highest Lowest
Approve Approve
Oct 3 Jul 16 May 7 Mar 13 Jan 9 Oct 3 Jul 16
2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008* 2008

Approve 50 43 47 50 46 50 43
Disapprove 31 38 38 29 31 31 38
DK/NA 18 18 16 21 23 18 18

9. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York City
today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very
dissatisfied?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Very satisfied 12% 18% 11% 12% 16% 8% 12%

Smwht satisfied 48 43 47 55 56 44 38
Smwht dissatisfied 23 21 24 20 21 27 25
Very dissatisfied 16 18 17 11 7 21 23
DK/NA 1 - 1 2 1 - 2

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Very satisfied 10% 11% 19% 9% 9% 15% 11%

Smwht satisfied 44 48 53 47 45 54 44
Smwht dissatisfied 23 24 16 26 29 18 26
Very dissatisfied 21 16 11 16 15 12 18
DK/NA 2 1 1 1 2 1 1

TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York
City today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or
very dissatisfied?

Oct 3 Jul 16 May 8 Nov 19 Jul 25 Jul 12 Apr 12

2008 2008 2008 2007 2007 2006 2006

Very satisfied 12 9 8 12 10 16 12
Smwht satisfied 48 48 47 53 54 51 56
Smwht dissatisfied 23 26 28 22 23 22 22
Very dissatisfied 16 15 16 11 12 10 9
DK/NA 1 1 - 2 1 1 1

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10. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose setting limits on the number of years
elected officials can hold office?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Favor 65% 66% 65% 67% 65% 67% 63%

Oppose 29 28 30 26 30 27 31
DK/NA 6 7 5 7 5 6 6

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Favor 64% 66% 61% 65% 77% 63% 66%

Oppose 27 28 34 29 18 32 27
DK/NA 9 6 5 6 5 5 7

TREND: Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose setting limits on the number of
years elected officials can hold office?

Oct 3 Jul 16 Mar 1

2008 2008 2001

Favor 65 71 67
Oppose 29 23 28
DK/NA 6 6 5

11. Currently, there is an 8 year time limit for all elected New York City officials.
Do you favor or oppose extending this limit to 12 years?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Favor 39% 37% 40% 40% 50% 29% 32%

Oppose 56 57 56 55 46 68 62
DK/NA 5 6 4 5 4 4 7

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Favor 30% 35% 51% 38% 38% 41% 37%

Oppose 66 59 46 56 54 55 57
DK/NA 4 6 4 6 8 4 6

TREND: Currently, there is an 8 year term limit for all elected New York City
officials. Do you favor or oppose extending this limit to 12 years?

Oct 3 Jul 16 Mar 1

2008 2008 2001

Favor 39 32 34
Oppose 56 65 63
DK/NA 5 3 4

9
12. As you may know, Michael Bloomberg will have served 8 years as Mayor by the end
of 2009. If Mayor Bloomberg commits to running for a third term as mayor, would you
favor or oppose extending the 8 year time limit so you could vote for him?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Favor 54% 61% 53% 55% 64% 42% 51%

Oppose 42 37 43 41 31 54 47
DK/NA 4 2 4 3 5 4 2

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Favor 50% 49% 62% 56% 56% 55% 54%

Oppose 45 48 33 41 36 41 42
DK/NA 5 3 5 3 8 4 4

TREND: As you may know, Michael Bloomberg will have served 8 years as Mayor by the
end of 2009. If Mayor Bloomberg commits to running for a third term as mayor, would
you favor or oppose extending the 8 year time limit so you could vote for him?

Oct 3 Jul 16
2008 2008

Favor 54 38
Oppose 42 56
DK/NA 4 5

13. Would you favor or oppose extending the 8 year time limit so your local City
Council member can serve four more years?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Favor 35% 34% 35% 36% 38% 29% 36%

Oppose 58 62 58 59 53 66 58
DK/NA 7 5 7 5 9 5 6

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Favor 28% 35% 35% 39% 31% 36% 34%

Oppose 65 61 56 54 59 60 58
DK/NA 8 4 8 7 10 4 9

TREND: Would you favor or oppose extending the 8 year time limit so your local City
Council member can serve four more years?

Oct 3 Jul 16
2008 2008

Favor 35 26
Oppose 58 66
DK/NA 7 8

10
14. If term limits are altered or abolished and Mayor Bloomberg could run again,
which comes closest to your feelings: Bloomberg has a lot of good programs he wants
to finish; he should get four more years in office OR Changing the rules in the
middle of the game is unfair; someone else should have the chance to be mayor?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Four more years

in office 52% 57% 50% 56% 64% 38% 42%
Changing the
rules unfair 44 40 46 40 32 58 53
DK/NA 5 3 4 4 4 3 5

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Four more years

in office 42% 46% 62% 54% 52% 53% 51%
Changing the
rules unfair 51 49 33 43 44 42 45
DK/NA 7 5 5 3 5 5 4

TREND: If term limits are altered or abolished and Mayor Bloomberg could run again,
which comes closest to your feelings: Bloomberg has a lot of good programs he wants
to finish; he should get four more years in office OR Changing the rules in the
middle of the game is unfair; someone else should have the chance to be mayor?

Oct 3 Jul 16
2008 2008

Four more years

in office 52 40
Changing the
rules unfair 44 55
DK/NA 5 5

15. Mayor Bloomberg is trying to balance the city budget. Do you think he should
raise taxes, cut spending, or borrow money?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp

Raise taxes 18% 5% 22% 16% 21% 15% 13%

Cut spending 56 73 51 61 57 56 57
Borrow money 14 15 14 14 10 16 20
DK/NA 12 7 12 9 12 12 10

Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom

Raise taxes 11% 26% 24% 11% 9% 23% 15%

Cut spending 61 51 50 60 75 55 57
Borrow money 14 13 12 19 5 11 16
DK/NA 14 10 14 9 11 11 12

11
TREND: Mayor Bloomberg is trying to balance the city budget. Do you think he should
raise taxes, cut spending or borrow money?

Oct 3 May 7 Feb 27 Nov 21 Jul 17

2008 2003 2003 2002 2002

Raise taxes 18 20 17 22 18
Cut spending 56 37 44 44 48
Borrow money 14 29 26 20 23
DK/NA 12 14 13 13 12

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