ABC News Post-Election Poll, December 2000

This election poll, fielded December 3, 2000, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This data collection focused on the presidential election that took place on November 7, 2000. The poll queried respondents about the situation in the country 26 days after the election. Respondents expressed their opinions about the post-election situation in the country, the legitimacy of this election, their confidence in the accuracy of Florida's recount, and whom they wanted to see become the next president. Additional questions elicited views on the way Vice President Al Gore's and Texas governor George W. Bush's campaigns were handling the election situation and what impact the unclear post-election situation could have on the country's system of presidential elections. A group of questions concentrated on the hand recounts: whether there should be hand recounts of all the votes in Florida and whether the hand recounts in two counties that did not complete them on Gore's request should be completed and counted in the final vote total. Those polled also expressed their views about whether, after the Florida Secretary of State had declared George W. Bush the winner, Al Gore should concede or if he should ask the courts to review the vote. Other questions examined respondents' opinions about whether the United States Supreme Court, the Florida state legislature, and the United States Congress should be involved in determining the winner of the election in Florida, as well as if the United States Supreme Court's ruling in this case would be fair for both sides. The survey also collected respondents' opinions about whether they wanted to end the unclear situation quickly or give both campaigns a chance to make their full case in court. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, education, race,party affiliation, political orientation, and voter registration.