F&M Stories

In a multi-candidate race with third party candidates included, Democratic U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, 46% to 43%, according to the latest Franklin & Marshall College Poll.

“Harris's support is higher among many voting groups compared to President Biden's numbers in our last poll, mainly because she has brought some wavering Democrats back to the ticket,” said Berwood Yost, director of the poll. “She receives a larger share of voters than Biden received from Democrats and liberals as well as women, young voters, college graduates and those living in large urban areas.”

According to the poll, the main reasons Harris voters support her candidacy include anti-Trumpism (18%), women’s rights (17%), character (15%), partisanship (13%) and democracy (13%). The top reasons voters support Trump include economic policy (29%), immigration (20%) and partisanship (19%).

“Her advantage among moderates at this point is similar to his advantage among moderate voters, which is something to keep an eye on,” Yost said. “It is important to note that Trump's support has actually increased a bit since our last poll, too, as have his favorability ratings.”

The survey also recorded some notable findings. Here are some highlights:

• More than four in five (84%) registered Pennsylvania voters believe that schools should be allowed to limit students’ access to cell phones during the school day.
• Three in four (77%) voters favor open primaries that allow registered independent voters to participate in the primary election of their choice. Nearly a third of voters said that allowing independents to vote in open primaries would make them likely change their party registration.
• On changing Pennsylvania law that defines marriage as a civil contract between a man and a woman, three in five (59%) voters favor a proposal that redefines the legal definition with more Democrats (86%) and independents (59%) than Republicans (31%) supporting the change.

Conducted by interviewers with F&M’s Center for Opinion Research between July 31 and Aug. 11, the poll recorded responses from 920 registered voters—411 Democrats, 378 Republicans and 131 independents. The sample error for the survey is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Visit F&M Poll’s Key Findings for the complete poll results and analysis of voters’ sentiments on the latest issues and job approval ratings of elected officials.

Election Day is Nov. 5.