Fun Facts And Demographics (North Carolina Edition)

Ken AshfordElection 2008, Local InterestLeave a Comment

UPDATE:  North Carolina finally called…. for Obama!

Based on exit polls:

  • Men preferred McCain, 54 – 45 percent, while women preferred Obama, 55 – 45 percent.

  • The youth turnout in North Carolina was 17%, and they were HUGE in the Obama category.  Obama got 73% of the youth vote (defined as 18-29 years old)

  • Whites comprised 72% of the NC vote, and favored McCain over Obama 64-35%.

  • Blacks comprised 22% of the NC vote, and favored Obama over McCain 97-3%. (Black women, who made up 13% of the vote went 100% for Obama).

Here's the age and race breakdown

 
                               Obama            McCain          Other
 
White 18-29 (9%)
57%
43%
N/A
 
 
White 30-44 (21%)
31%
69%
N/A
 
 
White 45-64 (28%)
34%
66%
N/A
 
 
White 65 and Older (14%)
28%
70%
2%
 
 
Black 18-29 (6%)
100%
0%
N/A
 
 
Black 30-44 (6%)
99%
1%
N/A
 
 
Black 45-64 (8%)
93%
7%
N/A
 
 
Black 65 and Older (3%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
 
Latino 18-29 (1%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
 
Latino 30-44 (0%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
 
Latino 45-64 (1%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
 
Latino 65 and Older (0%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
 
All Others (2%)
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
 
  • 44% of NC voters considered themselves "moderate"; Of these moderates, Obama took 61% of their vote, compared to McCain's 38%
  • Obama won 57% if people who identify themselves as "independent" (rather than "Democrat" or Republican")
  • Obama also grabbed 24% of the white evangelical vote.  Cool.

Here's one of my favorites:

Obama did was favored by those with the least education (no high school degree, and high school degree but no college)

But among people with a college degree or "some college", McCain did better.

And the most educated people — those with postgraduate degrees — Obama did better.

It's one of those interesting bell curve deals, where Obama appealed to both the least and the most educated in North Carolina, while people in the middle went for McCain.

The same goes true for income.  Obama appealed more to NC voters making under $50,000, but he was also the favorite of those making over $200,000 by 55% to 45%.  Those in between favored McCain.

Some may wonder why those who made over $200,000, who would probably see tax increases under Obama, would favor Obama.  One can only guess — maybe they understand (or learned from the recent fiscal crisis) that if the bottom rungs of society suffer, we all eventually do.  In any event, it's not inconsistent with national exit polls, which showed that most people who believed their taxes would go up under Obama stil voted for him anyway.