AMT Survey: 89 Percent of Muslim Voters Picked Obama
By Muhammad Salim Akhtar
Washington, DC: The American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT***) on November 7 released the results of a poll indicating that almost 90 percent of American Muslim voters picked Barack Obama in Tuesday's election. That survey of more than 600 American Muslim voters also indicated that just two percent of respondents cast their ballots for Sen. John McCain.
AMT Chair Dr Agha Saeed, along with AMT Board Members Nihad Awad and Mahdi Bray, announced the survey results at a press conference held at the National Press Club in DC.
Genesis Research Associates, an independent polling and market research firm conducted the survey commissioned by AMT.
Newsweek reported the survey results by pointing out that
“For the past few months, not a day went by without the words ‘Muslim’ and ‘Obama’ being mentioned in the same sentence. From the divisive shouts and jeers at McCain rallies to the Op-Ed pages of The New York Times to an interview with Colin Powell on NBC's ‘Meet the Press,’ Muslims — or at least the mention of them — have been more prevalent this campaign year than "Joe the Plumber….
“The American Muslim Task Force on Civil Rights and Elections released a poll today of over 600 Muslims from more than 10 states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, and it revealed that 89 percent of respondents voted for Obama, while only 2 percent voted for McCain. It also indicated that 95 percent of Muslims polled cast a ballot in this year's presidential election—the highest turnout in a US election ever — and 14 percent of those were first-time voters.”
Survey Findings:
- Most of the respondents, or 78 percent, reside in ten states. These are: Illinois, New York, Virginia, Michigan, California, Texas, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
- The sample was 55 percent female and 45 percent male.
- Of the total number of respondents, 603, or 95 percent, said they voted in the presidential election, whether at the polls or by absentee ballot. This is the highest American Muslim voter turnout ever reported. The last poll of American Muslim voters showed that almost 89 percent vote on a regular basis. Of those who voted, 13.6 percent said they did so for the first time. One-fourth said they volunteered for or donated money to a political campaign in this election.
- Of those who voted, 89 percent cast their ballot for Barack Obama. Just two percent voted for John McCain. Third party candidates did not do well and did much worse than in 2004.
- American Muslim voters are increasingly identifying themselves with the Democratic Party. More than two-thirds said they consider themselves Democrats. Most of the rest, or 29 percent, still consider themselves independent. Only four percent say they are Republicans.
- More than two-thirds, 63 percent, said the economy was the most important issue that affected their voting decision. This was followed by 16 percent who said the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were the most important. (In January, a sample of 1000 Muslim voters rated education and civil rights at the top of issues.)
- Respondents whose household income is more than $200,000, the income bracket that may receive a tax increase during the Obama presidency, still voted overwhelmingly (87 percent) for Obama.
Survey Data Tables
“Which presidential candidate did you vote for?”
|
Frequency |
Percent |
Valid Percent |
Cumulative Percent |
Valid |
Barak Obama |
536 |
88.9 |
88.9 |
88.9 |
Don't know/ refused |
42 |
7.0 |
7.0 |
95.9 |
John McCain |
13 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
98.0 |
Someone else |
5 |
.8 |
.8 |
98.8 |
Ralph Nader |
4 |
.7 |
.7 |
99.5 |
Bob Barr |
2 |
.3 |
.3 |
99.8 |
Cynthia McKinney |
1 |
.2 |
.2 |
100.0 |
Total |
603 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
“Was this the first presidential election that you voted in?”
|
Frequency |
Percent |
Valid Percent |
Cumulative Percent |
Valid |
Have voted before |
518 |
85.9 |
85.9 |
85.9 |
First time |
82 |
13.6 |
13.6 |
99.5 |
Refused |
3 |
.5 |
.5 |
100.0 |
Total |
603 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AMT is an umbrella organization that includes: American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim American Society-Freedom Foundation (MAS-FF), Muslim Student Association-National (MSA-N), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), and United Muslims of America (UMA). AMT observer organizations include: Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), and Islamic Educational Center of Orange County (IEC).
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