L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public AffairsResearch and Outreach

Multiple times a year, our statewide Wilder School Commonwealth Poll provides policymakers with an up-to-date snapshot of public opinion on current policy issues in the commonwealth. On this page you'll find information about recent poll highlights, as well as poll data organized by topic and by date.

As of this survey, there have been no debates between the candidates for governor or lieutenant governor. The gubernatorial candidates are in a virtual dead heat (McAuliffe 40%, Youngkin 37%). That could change once positions are taken on the issues. The lieutenant governor’s race showing the largest difference (Ayala 39%, Sears 31%) could also be affected. The attorney general race has 19% of the voters unwilling to vote for either candidate added to the 10% undecided leaves one-third of the voters who could tighten that contest. How the pandemic affects turnout and enthusiasm energizes voters should be of utmost concern,”

L. Douglas Wilder
66th Governor of Virginia

Methodology

This poll was conducted from August 4-15, 2021, with results released in late August 2021. The methodology is as follows:

  • 823 adult Virginians surveyed
  • Phone survey (Landlines/Cell) – dual sample design on listed landline numbers and random digit dialed (RDD) cell phone numbers
  • Sample weighted by demographics: gender, age, education, race, Hispanic origin, and region
  • Overall margin of error: +/- 5.23 percentage points

References

For more information about the results, questions, and data, visit the links below: