The ANES Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior
Expected Closeness of Presidential Race 1952-2020
PERCENT AMONG DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS WHO RESPONDED : "Close Race"
| '52 | '54 | '56 | '58 | '60 | '62 | '64 | '66 | '68 | '70 | '72 | '74 | '76 | '78 | '80 | '82 | '84 | '86 | '88 | '90 | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | 64 | ** | 58 | ** | 65 | ** | 39 | ** | 64 | ** | 29 | ** | 75 | ** | 73 | ** | 42 | ** | 69 | ** | 81 | ** | 46 | ** | 87 | ** | 79 | ** | 78 | ** | 82 | ** | 70 | ** | 66 |
| Females | 59 | ** | 56 | ** | 62 | ** | 44 | ** | 56 | ** | 34 | ** | 66 | ** | 69 | ** | 52 | ** | 70 | ** | 78 | ** | 58 | ** | 82 | ** | 83 | ** | 79 | ** | 81 | ** | 73 | ** | 66 |
| White non-Hispanic | 63 | ** | 57 | ** | 65 | ** | 42 | ** | 59 | ** | 30 | ** | 72 | ** | 72 | ** | 45 | ** | 71 | ** | 82 | ** | 52 | ** | 87 | ** | 82 | ** | 82 | ** | 84 | ** | 74 | ** | 66 |
| Black non-Hispanic | 40 | ** | 52 | ** | 46 | ** | 40 | ** | 65 | ** | 47 | ** | 54 | ** | 62 | ** | 56 | ** | 66 | ** | 67 | ** | 56 | ** | 76 | ** | 79 | ** | 67 | ** | 69 | ** | 63 | ** | 63 |
| Hispanic | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 63 | ** | 29 | ** | 66 | ** | 57 | ** | 61 | ** | 68 | ** | 71 | ** | 52 | ** | 72 | ** | 77 | ** | 70 | ** | 76 | ** | 64 | ** | 67 |
| Race oth/mult non-Hisp | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 75 | ** | 26 | ** | 63 | ** | 75 | ** | 53 | ** | 79 | ** | 78 | ** | 66 | ** | 85 | ** | 65 | ** | 71 | ** | 78 | ** | 73 | ** | 68 |
| 8th Grade or Lower | 51 | ** | 48 | ** | 53 | ** | 38 | ** | 48 | ** | 33 | ** | 55 | ** | 54 | ** | 49 | ** | 64 | ** | 68 | ** | 44 | ** | 75 | ** | 58 | ** | 58 | ** | 66 | ** | 54 | ** | 56 |
| High School (Grades 9-12) | 66 | ** | 59 | ** | 68 | ** | 44 | ** | 61 | ** | 32 | ** | 69 | ** | 69 | ** | 51 | ** | 69 | ** | 78 | ** | 54 | ** | 80 | ** | 79 | ** | 72 | ** | 77 | ** | 70 | ** | 60 |
| Some College, no Degree | 73 | ** | 69 | ** | 71 | ** | 45 | ** | 70 | ** | 31 | ** | 77 | ** | 74 | ** | 45 | ** | 71 | ** | 80 | ** | 59 | ** | 86 | ** | 84 | ** | 81 | ** | 82 | ** | 74 | ** | 64 |
| College Degree/ Post-grad | 77 | ** | 63 | ** | 70 | ** | 35 | ** | 62 | ** | 27 | ** | 79 | ** | 83 | ** | 39 | ** | 73 | ** | 84 | ** | 45 | ** | 94 | ** | 84 | ** | 87 | ** | 87 | ** | 73 | ** | 74 |
| Income 0-16 Percentile | 48 | ** | 51 | ** | 54 | ** | 39 | ** | 48 | ** | 32 | ** | 54 | ** | 57 | ** | 58 | ** | 62 | ** | 70 | ** | 57 | ** | 71 | ** | 76 | ** | 67 | ** | 70 | ** | 66 | ** | 60 |
| Income 17-33 Percentile | 55 | ** | 50 | ** | 56 | ** | 45 | ** | 52 | ** | 39 | ** | 67 | ** | 70 | ** | 56 | ** | 73 | ** | 80 | ** | 55 | ** | 80 | ** | 82 | ** | 73 | ** | 79 | ** | 72 | ** | 62 |
| Income 34-67 Percentile | 65 | ** | 60 | ** | 65 | ** | 42 | ** | 62 | ** | 33 | ** | 73 | ** | 73 | ** | 48 | ** | 74 | ** | 82 | ** | 54 | ** | 90 | ** | 81 | ** | 79 | ** | 83 | ** | 72 | ** | 63 |
| Income 68-95 Percentile | 69 | ** | 62 | ** | 70 | ** | 41 | ** | 70 | ** | 28 | ** | 77 | ** | 81 | ** | 42 | ** | 68 | ** | 83 | ** | 49 | ** | 86 | ** | 83 | ** | 86 | ** | 86 | ** | 74 | ** | 72 |
| Income 96-100 Percentile | 66 | ** | 68 | ** | 74 | ** | 43 | ** | 60 | ** | 17 | ** | 81 | ** | 68 | ** | 30 | ** | 70 | ** | 83 | ** | 43 | ** | 92 | ** | 82 | ** | 93 | ** | 87 | ** | 66 | ** | 68 |
| Professionals | 71 | ** | 60 | ** | 69 | ** | 41 | ** | 62 | ** | 25 | ** | 75 | ** | 77 | ** | 42 | ** | 71 | ** | 85 | ** | 47 | ** | 90 | ** | 85 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| White Collar | 71 | ** | 57 | ** | 71 | ** | 51 | ** | 68 | ** | 31 | ** | 75 | ** | 71 | ** | 46 | ** | 72 | ** | 79 | ** | 53 | ** | 85 | ** | 82 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Blue Collar | 65 | ** | 53 | ** | 64 | ** | 35 | ** | 59 | ** | 35 | ** | 65 | ** | 68 | ** | 52 | ** | 68 | ** | 77 | ** | 54 | ** | 82 | ** | 78 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Unskilled | 49 | ** | 57 | ** | 60 | ** | 44 | ** | 58 | ** | 34 | ** | 72 | ** | 60 | ** | 48 | ** | 70 | ** | 75 | ** | 55 | ** | 77 | ** | 77 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Farmers | 53 | ** | 60 | ** | 62 | ** | 41 | ** | 47 | ** | 29 | ** | 67 | ** | 56 | ** | 42 | ** | 57 | ** | 76 | ** | 43 | ** | 72 | ** | 79 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Housewives | 57 | ** | 57 | ** | 58 | ** | 46 | ** | 55 | ** | 32 | ** | 64 | ** | 65 | ** | 49 | ** | 71 | ** | 79 | ** | 59 | ** | 81 | ** | 78 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Union Households | 62 | ** | 57 | ** | 62 | ** | 37 | ** | 61 | ** | 36 | ** | 71 | ** | 72 | ** | 47 | ** | 70 | ** | 82 | ** | 48 | ** | 88 | ** | 86 | ** | 80 | ** | 80 | ** | 75 | ** | 69 |
| Non-Union Households | 61 | ** | 57 | ** | 64 | ** | 43 | ** | 59 | ** | 30 | ** | 69 | ** | 70 | ** | 48 | ** | 70 | ** | 78 | ** | 54 | ** | 84 | ** | 79 | ** | 78 | ** | 82 | ** | 71 | ** | 65 |
| South | 55 | ** | 53 | ** | 60 | ** | 45 | ** | 62 | ** | 29 | ** | 68 | ** | 67 | ** | 48 | ** | 65 | ** | 75 | ** | 55 | ** | 83 | ** | 76 | ** | 79 | ** | 80 | ** | 71 | ** | 65 |
| Nonsouth | 63 | ** | 58 | ** | 65 | ** | 41 | ** | 59 | ** | 32 | ** | 70 | ** | 72 | ** | 47 | ** | 72 | ** | 81 | ** | 51 | ** | 85 | ** | 83 | ** | 78 | ** | 82 | ** | 72 | ** | 67 |
| Born 1991 or later | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 77 | ** | 67 | ** | 69 |
| Born 1975-1990 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 92 | ** | 67 | ** | 77 | ** | 82 | ** | 78 | ** | 78 | ** | 71 | ** | 70 |
| Born 1959-1974 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 72 | ** | 51 | ** | 65 | ** | 79 | ** | 53 | ** | 83 | ** | 80 | ** | 78 | ** | 82 | ** | 73 | ** | 63 |
| Born 1943-1958 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 36 | ** | 64 | ** | 37 | ** | 75 | ** | 73 | ** | 45 | ** | 71 | ** | 79 | ** | 50 | ** | 88 | ** | 80 | ** | 79 | ** | 83 | ** | 71 | ** | 62 |
| Born 1927-1942 | 71 | ** | 54 | ** | 65 | ** | 46 | ** | 67 | ** | 29 | ** | 72 | ** | 75 | ** | 45 | ** | 71 | ** | 78 | ** | 52 | ** | 91 | ** | 80 | ** | 80 | ** | 85 | ** | 77 | ** | 70 |
| Born 1911-1926 | 62 | ** | 58 | ** | 67 | ** | 41 | ** | 60 | ** | 29 | ** | 66 | ** | 69 | ** | 52 | ** | 73 | ** | 81 | ** | 51 | ** | 77 | ** | 86 | ** | 83 | ** | 82 | ** | 90 | ** | 78 |
| Born 1895-1910 | 63 | ** | 60 | ** | 64 | ** | 37 | ** | 50 | ** | 34 | ** | 59 | ** | 57 | ** | 49 | ** | 65 | ** | 70 | ** | 55 | ** | 84 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 66 |
| Born before 1895 | 53 | ** | 52 | ** | 54 | ** | 41 | ** | 40 | ** | 21 | ** | 53 | ** | 42 | ** | 50 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Democrats (incl leaners) | 62 | ** | 61 | ** | 64 | ** | 41 | ** | 61 | ** | 36 | ** | 70 | ** | 72 | ** | 58 | ** | 76 | ** | 77 | ** | 47 | ** | 83 | ** | 84 | ** | 75 | ** | 80 | ** | 65 | ** | 71 |
| Independents | 52 | ** | 45 | ** | 54 | ** | 37 | ** | 51 | ** | 29 | ** | 61 | ** | 57 | ** | 43 | ** | 62 | ** | 73 | ** | 57 | ** | 78 | ** | 81 | ** | 73 | ** | 81 | ** | 74 | ** | 72 |
| Republicans | 65 | ** | 58 | ** | 70 | ** | 47 | ** | 62 | ** | 27 | ** | 74 | ** | 74 | ** | 36 | ** | 65 | ** | 85 | ** | 60 | ** | 90 | ** | 77 | ** | 85 | ** | 83 | ** | 79 | ** | 59 |
| Liberals | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 39 | ** | 77 | ** | 77 | ** | 53 | ** | 79 | ** | 79 | ** | 47 | ** | 90 | ** | 83 | ** | 79 | ** | 83 | ** | 62 | ** | 75 |
| Moderates | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 34 | ** | 72 | ** | 74 | ** | 53 | ** | 72 | ** | 80 | ** | 52 | ** | 88 | ** | 86 | ** | 79 | ** | 82 | ** | 74 | ** | 69 |
| Conservatives | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 28 | ** | 73 | ** | 74 | ** | 35 | ** | 66 | ** | 84 | ** | 55 | ** | 87 | ** | 77 | ** | 86 | ** | 81 | ** | 80 | ** | 60 |
