Maurice Carroll, Director, Quinnipiac University Polling Institute (203) 582-5334 Rubenstein Associates, Inc.

Public Relations Contact: Pat Smith (212) 843FOR RELEASE: AUGUST 11, 2011

NEW YORK VOTERS BACK FRACKING, DESPITE CONCERNS, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; MORE WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT MEANS FEWER SEX SCANDALS
By a 47 42 percent margin, New York State voters like the economic benefits of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale more than they fear possible environmental concerns, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Support for drilling is 51 39 percent among upstate voters and 52 35 percent among suburban voters. New York City voters are opposed 50 38 percent. Support is 67 20 percent among Republicans, while independent voters are divided 47 45 percent. Democrats are opposed 52 35 percent. New York State voters believe 75 17 percent that natural gas drilling will create jobs, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds, with strong support among all groups and in all regions of the state. While many voters know little about hydro-fracking, voters believe 52 15 percent that this process will damage the environment, with 33 percent undecided. All groups feel this way. Drill for the jobs, New Yorkers say, even though theyre worried about the environmental effects of hydro-fracking, said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. And while were drilling for natural gas, lets tax those drilling companies, voters say 59 29 percent. Even Republicans support this tax. Theres no natural gas in New York City, where voters are opposed to the drilling. There should be more women in high political office, 56 percent of New York State voters say, while 29 percent say there are enough women now. There obviously is a large gender gap as women voters say 65 22 percent that more sisters are needed, while men feel that way 46 36 percent. -more-

Quinnipiac University Poll/August 11, 2011 page 2 There is almost no gender gap as 78 percent of all voters say women officials are less likely than men to be involved in sex scandals, while 18 percent say there is not much difference. Women officials are more likely than men to have the right priorities, voters say 22 5 percent, but 69 percent say there is not much difference. Women are better problem solvers, voters say 32 6, but 59 percent say not much difference. Lets have more women in political office, New Yorkers say, Carroll said. Men and women would be pretty much the same in making the right political decisions, voters think. But they look at the headlines and say overwhelmingly that women in politics would be far less likely than male politicians to get involved in sex scandals. District lines from which members of the U.S. Congress and the State Legislature are elected should be created by an independent commission, 50 percent of voters say, while 13 percent say the State Legislature should continue to draw the lines and 26 percent want an independent commission with some input from the State Legislature. Gov. Andrew Cuomo should veto any legislative redistricting plan that is not created by an independent commission, voters say 49 30 percent. Voters in all political groups agree. Remember all those candidate pledges that former Mayor Ed Koch won about a nonpartisan commission to draw legislative and congressional district lines? Most New Yorkers endorse the idea, Carroll said. If the lines arent drawn by an independent commission an entity, it should be noted, that doesnt happen to exist voters say Cuomo should erase them. Also on redistricting, voters say 60 25 percent that prison inmates should be counted as residents of their home districts, not of where theyre imprisoned. Republican and upstate voters support counting inmates in their homes, not their prisons. From August 3 8, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,640 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.

22. Do you support or oppose New York State's new law that allows same-sex couples to get married? Tot Support Oppose DK/NA 54% 38 8 Rep 38% 54 8 Dem 66% 27 7 Sub 61% 31 8 Ind 53% 38 9 Union HsHlds 53% 39 8 Men 48% 43 9 Wom 60% 32 8

UpStat NYC Support Oppose DK/NA 50% 43 8 55% 36 8

23. Some people say there should be drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale because of the economic benefits. Others say there should not be drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale because of the environmental impact. Which comes closer to your point of view? Tot Drilling No drilling DK/NA 47% 42 12 Rep 67% 20 13 Dem 35% 52 13 Sub 52% 35 14 Ind 47% 45 8 Union HsHlds 48% 41 11 Men 56% 34 10 Wom 38% 48 14

UpStat NYC Drilling No drilling DK/NA 51% 39 10 38% 50 12

24. Do you support or oppose a new tax on companies drilling for natural gas in the state's Marcellus Shale? Tot Support Oppose DK/NA 59% 29 12 Rep 46% 41 13 Dem 68% 19 13 Sub 55% 35 10 Ind 60% 31 9 Union HsHlds 67% 25 8 Men 58% 34 8 Wom 60% 24 15

UpStat NYC Support Oppose DK/NA 57% 29 14 65% 25 11

25. Do you think that drilling for natural gas in the state's Marcellus Shale will create jobs or not? Tot Yes No DK/NA 75% 17 8 Rep 82% 12 6 Dem 71% 19 10 Sub 79% 13 7 Ind 76% 17 7 Union HsHlds 73% 21 6 Men 80% 15 5 Wom 71% 19 10

UpStat NYC Yes No DK/NA 76% 16 8 72% 20 8

26. Have you heard or read anything about hydro-fracking? Tot Yes No DK/NA 57% 42 1 Rep 59% 40 1 Dem 48% 51 1 Sub 49% 49 2 Ind 65% 34 1 Union HsHlds 63% 37 Men 65% 34 1 Wom 49% 49 1

UpStat NYC Yes No DK/NA 75% 24 1 42% 57 1

27. Natural gas drilling companies want to practice hydro-fracking in New York State. Hydro-fracking is the process of pumping water and chemicals into the ground under high pressure to fracture rocks. This releases natural gas trapped in the rocks which is then collected. Do you think hydro-fracking will cause environmental damage or not, or don't you know? Tot Yes/Will damage No/Won't Damage Don't Know REFUSED 52% 15 33 Rep 42% 23 35 1 Dem 61% 7 31 Sub 49% 16 34 Ind 49% 17 34 Union HsHlds 55% 19 26 Men 45% 23 31 1 Wom 58% 8 35 Yes Q26 60% 20 20 -

UpStat NYC Yes/Will damage No/Won't Damage Don't Know REFUSED 51% 19 29 1 54% 9 36 -

28. Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected - the state legislature or a commission that has no connection to the state legislature or an independent commission with some legislative input? Tot State legislature Commissn/No connect Commissn/legis input DK/NA 13% 50 26 11 Rep 9% 56 27 9 Dem 16% 45 28 11 Sub 9% 59 23 9 Ind 11% 55 26 9 Union HsHlds 13% 59 21 7 Men 12% 52 27 9 Wom 13% 49 26 13

UpStat NYC State legislature 9% Commissn/No connect 56 Commissn/legis input 25 DK/NA 10 18% 40 30 13

TREND: Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected: the state legislature, a commission that has no connection to the state legislature, or an independent commission with some legislative input? Aug 11 2011 State legislature Commissn/No connect Commissn/legis input DK/NA 13 50 26 11 Jun 28 2011 14 42 34 10 Jun 02 2011 13 46 31 10 Apr 14 2011 12 51 29 7

29. Do you think Governor Cuomo should veto a redistricting plan that is not created by an independent commission or not? Tot Yes No DK/NA 49% 30 21 Rep 44% 33 23 Dem 50% 26 24 Sub 53% 28 19 Ind 56% 31 13 Union HsHlds 55% 29 16 Men 55% 30 15 Wom 44% 30 26

UpStat NYC Yes No DK/NA 48% 31 21 49% 30 22

30. When determining district population sizes for purposes of allocating members of Congress, the state Legislature, and other elected officials, prison inmates in New York State are counted as residents of the district in which their prison is located. Do you think A) Prison inmates should be counted as residents of the districts in which their prison is located? Or do you think B) Prison inmates should be counted as residents of their home districts? Tot A)In prison location 25% B)In home districts 60 DK/NA 15 Rep 24% 55 20 Dem 24% 64 12 Sub 20% 64 16 Ind 25% 63 13 Union HsHlds 26% 63 12 Men 22% 64 15 Wom 28% 57 16

UpStat NYC A)In prison location 25% B)In home districts 56 DK/NA 19 27% 62 11

31. As you may know the MTA is the agency which provides rail and bus service in the NY Metropolitan area. Do you think the state government should provide additional funds to the MTA, or not? Tot Yes No DK/NA 44% 48 8 Rep 29% 63 8 Dem 59% 34 6 Sub 41% 55 4 Ind 38% 54 8 Union HsHlds 43% 51 5 Men 41% 53 6 Wom 48% 44 9

UpStat NYC Yes No DK/NA 30% 58 12 62% 33 5

32. Currently, employers in New York City and the suburban areas served by the MTA pay a special tax to help the transit agency. Do you think that tax should be increased, remain the same, decreased, or eliminated? Tot Increased Remain the same Decreased Eliminated DK/NA 13% 42 10 26 9 Rep 12% 34 12 31 10 Dem 15% 48 9 19 9 Sub 10% 33 11 40 5 Ind 13% 38 8 31 10 Union HsHlds 14% 41 8 29 8 Men 14% 40 8 31 8 Wom 12% 43 12 22 11

UpStat NYC Increased Remain the same Decreased Eliminated DK/NA 14% 42 7 21 16 15% 46 12 22 5

33. Thinking about the number of women who hold high level political office in the United States today such as governors and members of Congress - would you say that there should be more, should be fewer, or is the number about right? Tot Should be more Should be fewer About right DK/NA 56% 3 29 12 Rep 37% 5 44 13 Dem 73% 2 18 8 Sub 55% 1 26 17 Ind 50% 3 32 16 Union HsHlds 57% 3 27 14 Men 46% 2 36 15 Wom 65% 3 22 10

UpStat NYC Should be more Should be fewer About right DK/NA 52% 3 31 13 61% 3 27 9

34. Who do you think are more likely to have the right priorities - male elected officials or female elected officials or is there not much difference between them? Tot Male officials Female officials Not much difference DK/NA 5% 22 69 4 Rep 8% 17 72 4 Dem 3% 26 66 5 Sub 2% 20 71 6 Ind 6% 22 68 3 Union HsHlds 3% 19 73 4 Men 5% 16 74 5 Wom 5% 28 63 4

UpStat NYC Male officials Female officials Not much difference DK/NA 5% 23 68 4 7% 22 67 3

35. Who do you think are more likely to be problem solvers - male elected officials or female elected officials or is there not much difference between them? Tot Male officials Female officials Not much difference DK/NA 6% 32 59 3 Rep 11% 27 60 2 Dem 4% 37 55 4 Sub 5% 32 59 4 Ind 5% 32 61 2 Union HsHlds 8% 27 64 2 Men 7% 22 67 3 Wom 5% 41 51 3

UpStat NYC Male officials Female officials Not much difference DK/NA 5% 35 58 3 8% 29 60 3

36. Who do you think are more likely to have sex scandals - male elected officials or female elected officials or is there not much difference between them? Tot Male officials Female officials Not much difference DK/NA 78% 1 18 3 Rep 77% 22 1 Dem 80% 2 15 3 Sub 82% 2 14 2 Ind 78% 1 18 4 Union HsHlds 80% 17 3 Men 75% 1 20 4 Wom 80% 1 16 3

UpStat NYC Male officials Female officials Not much difference DK/NA 78% 19 3 75% 2 19 4