The Research 2000 Illinois Poll was conducted from October 20 through October 23, 2008. A total of 800 likely voters who vote regularly in state elections were interviewed statewide by telephone.

Those interviewed were selected by the random variation of the last four digits of telephone numbers. A cross-section of exchanges were utilized in order to ensure an accurate reflection of the state. Quotas were assigned to reflect the voter registration of distribution by county.

The margin for error, according to standards customarily used by statisticians, is no more than plus or minus 3.5% percentage points. This means that there is a 95 percent probability that the "true" figure would fall within that range if the entire population were sampled. The margin for error is higher for any subgroup, such as for gender or party affiliation.

Sample figures

GENDER:

Men…383…48%

Women…417…52%

PARTY ID:

Democrats…339…42%

Republicans…214…27%

Independents…247…31%

RACE:

White…582…73%

Black…106…13%

Hispanic…83…10%

Other…29…4%

AGE:

18-29…144…18%

30-44…253…32%

45-59…248…31%

60+…155…19%

REGION:

Chicago/Cook County…350 interviews

Collar Counties…148 interviews

Central…182 interviews

Southern…120 interviews

PRESIDENTIAL RACE:

Candidate…Favorable…Unfavorable…No opinion

BARACK OBAMA…72%…22%…6%

JOHN MCCAIN…38%…59%…3%

JOE BIDEN…55%…30%…15%

SARAH PALIN…31%…58%…11%

QUESTION: If the election for President were held today, would you vote for the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin, Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate, Ralph Nader, an Independent, Chuck Baldwin, the Constitution Party candidate, Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party candidate, or John Joseph Polachek, the New Party candidate?

Group…Obama…McCain…Other…Undecided

ALL…59%…35%…5%…1%

MEN…52%…41%…6%…1%

WOMEN…65%…28%…4%…3%

By party

Group…Obama…McCain…Other…Undecided

DEMOCRATS…90%…7%…2%…1%

REPUBLICANS…10%…81%…8%…1%

INDEPENDENTS…58%…33%…8%…1%

By race

Group…Obama…McCain…Other…Undecided

WHITE…50%…44%…5%…1%

BLACK…92%…3%…2%…3%

HISPANIC…70%…20%…2%…8%

OTHER…82%…12%…1%…5%

By age

Group…Obama…McCain…Other…Undecided

18-29…64%…30%…4%…2%

30-44…59%…36%…4%…1%

45-59…60%…35%…4%…1%

60+…52%…38%…8%… 2%

By area

Group…Obama…McCain…Other…Undecided

CHICAGO/COOK…71%…21%…7%…1%

COLLAR…41%…52%…5%…2%

CENTRAL…57%…41%…1%…1%

SOUTHERN…55%…41%…3%…1%

IMPORTANCE OF RACE:

QUESTION: How important of a factor do you think Barack Obama's race will be to voters; very important, important, or not important?

VERY…IMPORTANT…NOT IMPORTANT…NOT SURE

ALL…8%…16%…61%…15%

By gender

VERY…IMPORTANT…NOT IMPORTANT…NOT SURE

MEN…9%…18%…57%…16%

WOMEN…7%…14%…65%…14%

By party

VERY…IMPORTANT…NOT IMPORTANT…NOT SURE

DEMOCRATS…7%…15%…63%…15%

REPUBLICANS…9%…18%…58%…15%

INDEPENDENTS…8%…15%…61%…16%

By race

VERY…IMPORTANT…NOT IMPORTANT…NOT SURE

WHITE…9%…17%…60%…14%

BLACK…6%…14%…63%…17%

HISPANIC…7%…14%…62%…17%

OTHER…6%…13%…62%…19%

ELECT AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT:

QUESTION: Do you think the country is ready to elect an African-American as president?

YES…NO…NOT SURE

ALL…74%…14%…12%

By gender

YES…NO…NOT SURE

MEN…71%…18%…11%

WOMEN…77%…10%…13%

By party

YES…NO…NOT SURE

DEMOCRATS…80%…11%…9%

REPUBLICANS…63%…20%…17%

INDEPENDENTS…75%…13%…12%

By race

YES…NO…NOT SURE

WHITE…72%…14%…14%

BLACK…80%…10%…10%

HISPANIC…77%…12%…11%

OTHER…77%…10%…13%

More trusted on key issues

:

Issue…Obama…McCain…Not sure

THE ECONOMY…61%…33%…6%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS…50%…42%…8%

THE WAR IN IRAQ…49%…43%…8%

ISSUES OF SPECIAL CONCERN TO WOMEN…63%…29%…8%

GASOLINE PRICES/ENERGY POLICY…52%…39%…9%

GLOBAL WARMING AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES…54%…33%…13%

THE U.S. CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM…45%…50%…5%

TAXES…56%…40%…4%

HEALTH CARE…58%…30%…12%

APPOINTMENTS TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT…51%…39%…10%

RIGHT/WRONG TRACK:

QUESTION: Do you feel the country overall is heading in the right direction

or wrong direction?

Group…Right…Wrong…Not sure

ALL…15%…84%…1%

By gender

Group…Right…Wrong…Not sure

MEN…17%…82%…1%

WOMEN…13%…86%…1%

By party

Group…Right…Wrong…Not sure

DEMOCRATS…2%…98%…-

REPUBLICANS…45%…54%…1%

INDEPENDENTS…7%…92%…1%

By race

Group…Right…Wrong…Not sure

WHITE…20%…79%…1%

BLACK…2%…97%…1%

HISPANIC…2%…97%…1%

OTHER…2%…96%…2%

By age

Group…Right…Wrong…Not sure

18-29…11%…88%…1%

30-44…16%…83%…1%

45-59…13%…86%…1%

60+…18%…80%…2%

By area

Group…Right…Wrong…Not sure

CHICAGO/COOK…10%…89%…1%

COLLAR…22%…77%…1%

CENTRAL…16%…83%…1%

SOUTHERN…18%…81%…1%