2012 Virginia State Polls

In the selection of recent public opinion polls below showing presidential preferences in the state of Virginia, we have highlighted findings on gender.*

Recent attention to the gender gap in presidential vote choice frequently reflects confusion between what is traditionally known as the gender gap in voting between men and women voters and a commonly reported difference in support for each major party candidate among women voters. The data below includes both measures.

The Gender Gap: The difference between the percentages of women and men who support a given candidate, generally the leading or winning candidate. Even if women and men favor the same candidate, they may do so by different margins, resulting in a gender gap. We calculate the gender gap for each poll based on the votes of women and men who support the candidate leading in that poll.
   Example: [%Women for Leading Candidate][%Men for Leading Candidate] = Gender Gap

The Women's Vote: The percentage point advantage that one candidate has over the other among women voters – that is, the difference in support for the major party candidates among women voters only.
   Example: [%Women for Obama][%Women for Romney] = Women's Vote

* Polls are based on samples of either registered or likely voters. Follow the link to each poll for additional details on methodology.

Final Virginia Exit Poll, 2008

Obama: 52%
McCain: 47%
Gender Gap: 2 pts.
Women's Vote: +7% Obama

Pre-Election Polls

Poll Date in Field Overall Vote Gender Gap

Women's Vote

Women
for
Romney

Men
for
Romney

Women
for
Obama

Men
for
Obama

Public Policy Polling (PDF) 11/3-11/4 Obama 51%
Romney 47%
11 pts. +13% Obama 43% 53% 56% 45%
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll 11/1-11/2 Obama  48%
Romney 47%
6 pts. +6% Obama 45% 50% 51% 45%
CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac 10/23-10/28 Obama  49%
Romney 47%
10 pts. +10% Obama 43% 52% 53% 43%
ABC News/Washington Post 10/22-10/26 Obama  51%
Romney 47%
11 pts. +14% Obama 42% 52% 56% 45%
Purple Strategies (PDF) 10/23-10/25 Obama  47%
Romney 47%
3 pts.
2 pts.
+2% Obama 46% 48% 48% 45%
Fox News 10/23-10/24 Obama  45%
Romney 47%
9 pts. +6% Obama 43% 52% 49% 40%
Public Policy Polling/Health Care for America (PDF) 10/23-10-24 Obama  51%
Romney 46%
12 pts. +16% Obama 41% 50% 57% 45%
Public Policy Polling 10/18-10/19 Obama  49%
Romney 47%
11 pts. +12% Obama 42% 53% 54% 43%
ARG 10/12-10/14 Obama  47%
Romney 48%
20 pts. +16% Obama 38% 58% 54% 39%
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll 10/7-10/9 Obama 47%
Romney 48%
13 pts. +12% Obama 42% 55% 54% 40%
NYTimes/CBS News/Quinnipiac 10/4-10/9 Obama  51%
Romney 46%
11 pts. +16% Obama 40% 52% 56% 45%
Public Policy Polling (PDF) 10/4-10/7 Obama  50%
Romney 47%
4 pts. +8% Obama 44% 49% 52% 48%
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll 9/30-10/1 Obama  48%
Romney 46%
7 pts. +8% Obama 44% 49% 52% 45%
ARG 9/24-9/27 Obama  49%
Romney 47%
15 pts. +18% Obama 38% 56% 56% 41%
Suffolk/NBC12 9/24-9/26 Obama  46%
Romney 44%
13 pts. +15% Obama 37% 52% 52% 39%
Roanoke College 9/19-9/28 Obama  47%
Romney 39%
9 pts. +17% Obama 34% 45% 51% 42%
Fox News 9/16-9/18 Obama  49%
Romney 42%
8 pts. +13% Obama 40% 44% 53% 45%
Public Policy Polling (PDF) 9/13-9/16 Obama  51%
Romney 46%
11 pts. +14% Obama 42% 51% 56% 45%
Washington Post 9/12-9/16 Obama  52%
Romney 44%
14 pts. +19% Obama 39% 50% 58% 44%
NYTimes/CBS News/Quinnipiac 9/11-9/17 Obama  50%
Romney 46%
9 pts. +12% Obama 42% 51% 54% 45%
NBC News/WSJ/Marist Poll 9/9-9/11 Obama  49%
Romney 44%
10 pts. +14% Obama 40% 49% 54% 44%