The ANES Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior
Expected Closeness of Presidential Race 1952-2020
PERCENT AMONG DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS WHO RESPONDED : "Don't Know, Depends"
| '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 | 15 | ** | 14 | ** | 19 | ** | 13 | ** | 14 | ** | 9 | ** | 9 | ** | 13 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Females | 23 | ** | 21 | ** | 29 | ** | 18 | ** | 25 | ** | 15 | ** | 22 | ** | 18 | ** | 8 | ** | 7 | ** | 4 | ** | 1 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 |
| White non-Hispanic | 17 | ** | 17 | ** | 24 | ** | 15 | ** | 20 | ** | 12 | ** | 16 | ** | 15 | ** | 5 | ** | 5 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Black non-Hispanic | 39 | ** | 28 | ** | 35 | ** | 24 | ** | 22 | ** | 19 | ** | 23 | ** | 18 | ** | 13 | ** | 6 | ** | 6 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 |
| Hispanic | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 19 | ** | 19 | ** | 16 | ** | 19 | ** | 10 | ** | 7 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 3 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Race oth/mult non-Hisp | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 25 | ** | 21 | ** | 24 | ** | 19 | ** | 2 | ** | 5 | ** | 5 | ** | ** | ** | 1 | ** | 4 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | ** |
| 8th Grade or Lower | 30 | ** | 27 | ** | 32 | ** | 23 | ** | 33 | ** | 24 | ** | 25 | ** | 29 | ** | 16 | ** | 14 | ** | 9 | ** | 7 | ** | 5 | ** | 2 | ** | 6 | ** | 2 | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| High School (Grades 9-12) | 12 | ** | 16 | ** | 22 | ** | 13 | ** | 20 | ** | 13 | ** | 16 | ** | 17 | ** | 6 | ** | 6 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | ** |
| Some College, no Degree | 10 | ** | 6 | ** | 17 | ** | 12 | ** | 9 | ** | 5 | ** | 12 | ** | 10 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| College Degree/ Post-grad | 6 | ** | 13 | ** | 21 | ** | 14 | ** | 12 | ** | 3 | ** | 14 | ** | 8 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Income 0-16 Percentile | 31 | ** | 26 | ** | 31 | ** | 25 | ** | 34 | ** | 24 | ** | 28 | ** | 28 | ** | 8 | ** | 12 | ** | 5 | ** | 3 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 |
| Income 17-33 Percentile | 24 | ** | 24 | ** | 35 | ** | 15 | ** | 26 | ** | 12 | ** | 18 | ** | 19 | ** | 7 | ** | 6 | ** | 3 | ** | 0 | ** | 2 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Income 34-67 Percentile | 16 | ** | 13 | ** | 21 | ** | 12 | ** | 18 | ** | 11 | ** | 12 | ** | 13 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Income 68-95 Percentile | 11 | ** | 13 | ** | 19 | ** | 13 | ** | 11 | ** | 6 | ** | 13 | ** | 7 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Income 96-100 Percentile | 15 | ** | 10 | ** | 17 | ** | 6 | ** | 12 | ** | 5 | ** | 10 | ** | 8 | ** | 3 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | ** | ** | 1 | ** | 1 |
| Professionals | 9 | ** | 15 | ** | 17 | ** | 11 | ** | 11 | ** | 6 | ** | 14 | ** | 12 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| White Collar | 13 | ** | 13 | ** | 17 | ** | 11 | ** | 16 | ** | 9 | ** | 12 | ** | 15 | ** | 6 | ** | 5 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Blue Collar | 17 | ** | 18 | ** | 25 | ** | 17 | ** | 23 | ** | 13 | ** | 16 | ** | 16 | ** | 6 | ** | 5 | ** | 4 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Unskilled | 28 | ** | 21 | ** | 17 | ** | 12 | ** | 23 | ** | 14 | ** | 12 | ** | 23 | ** | 10 | ** | 7 | ** | 2 | ** | 4 | ** | 4 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Farmers | 26 | ** | 20 | ** | 18 | ** | 19 | ** | 30 | ** | 17 | ** | 20 | ** | 25 | ** | 9 | ** | 7 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | ** | ** | 5 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Housewives | 23 | ** | 21 | ** | 33 | ** | 18 | ** | 26 | ** | 18 | ** | 25 | ** | 22 | ** | 10 | ** | 8 | ** | 5 | ** | 2 | ** | 3 | ** | 4 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Union Households | 15 | ** | 16 | ** | 26 | ** | 11 | ** | 20 | ** | 12 | ** | 14 | ** | 14 | ** | 5 | ** | 5 | ** | 2 | ** | 0 | ** | 2 | ** | ** | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Non-Union Households | 20 | ** | 19 | ** | 24 | ** | 17 | ** | 20 | ** | 13 | ** | 17 | ** | 16 | ** | 7 | ** | 5 | ** | 4 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| South | 26 | ** | 22 | ** | 29 | ** | 19 | ** | 21 | ** | 13 | ** | 19 | ** | 16 | ** | 9 | ** | 6 | ** | 5 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Nonsouth | 17 | ** | 17 | ** | 23 | ** | 14 | ** | 20 | ** | 12 | ** | 16 | ** | 15 | ** | 5 | ** | 5 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Born 1991 or later | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 0 | ** | ** | ** | 0 |
| Born 1975-1990 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 8 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | ** |
| Born 1959-1974 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 13 | ** | 5 | ** | 5 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 |
| Born 1943-1958 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 8 | ** | 17 | ** | 9 | ** | 12 | ** | 13 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Born 1927-1942 | 10 | ** | 15 | ** | 22 | ** | 13 | ** | 16 | ** | 9 | ** | 14 | ** | 12 | ** | 4 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | ** |
| Born 1911-1926 | 17 | ** | 19 | ** | 22 | ** | 14 | ** | 18 | ** | 13 | ** | 19 | ** | 17 | ** | 10 | ** | 7 | ** | 6 | ** | 1 | ** | 4 | ** | 1 | ** | 7 | ** | 2 | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Born 1895-1910 | 20 | ** | 15 | ** | 26 | ** | 17 | ** | 26 | ** | 19 | ** | 26 | ** | 30 | ** | 13 | ** | 17 | ** | 11 | ** | 7 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Born before 1895 | 26 | ** | 24 | ** | 33 | ** | 31 | ** | 42 | ** | 30 | ** | 32 | ** | 42 | ** | 25 | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** |
| Democrats (incl leaners) | 18 | ** | 18 | ** | 24 | ** | 12 | ** | 22 | ** | 12 | ** | 14 | ** | 15 | ** | 6 | ** | 4 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Independents | 27 | ** | 29 | ** | 36 | ** | 23 | ** | 27 | ** | 24 | ** | 26 | ** | 27 | ** | 14 | ** | 16 | ** | 7 | ** | 4 | ** | 4 | ** | 6 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Republicans | 15 | ** | 11 | ** | 18 | ** | 17 | ** | 14 | ** | 8 | ** | 15 | ** | 12 | ** | 3 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Liberals | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 5 | ** | 9 | ** | 9 | ** | 4 | ** | 2 | ** | 2 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | ** | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Moderates | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 7 | ** | 13 | ** | 12 | ** | 4 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
| Conservatives | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | 6 | ** | 16 | ** | 12 | ** | 3 | ** | 3 | ** | 2 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 1 | ** | 0 | ** | 0 |
