DebateWatch 2004, a voter education program of the nonpartisan, nonprofit, Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), brought citizens together to watch the debates, talk about what they learned, and share their feedback with the CPD. Using an online survey posted at www.debates.org, DebateWatch leaders logged the results of their citizen discussions. In addition to the people who took the time to submit their feedback online, the CPD believes that many additional citizens held debate events in their homes and communities where they watched and discussed the debates but did not report their results.
Cumulative results of the DebateWatch survey, including the following items, are presented in the table below:
|
Overall Summary |
|
|
Total number of participants |
30,044 |
|
Estimated number of DW groups |
2,003 |
|
Number of states, territories, and other locations where DebateWatches were held |
50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and abroad |
|
% of participants who reported that participating in DebateWatch would influence how closely they follow the election |
24% |
|
Types of locations were DebateWatch events were held (% estimated) |
|
|
Suggested Debate Topics: DebateWatch participants suggested the following topics for debates. |
|
|
Suggested Topic #1 |
Economic Issues, 25% |
|
Suggested Topic #2 |
Health and Healthcare,14% |
|
Suggested Topic #3 |
Education,14% |
|
Suggested Topic #4 |
Iraq and National Security,13% |
|
Suggested Topic #5 |
Environment and Energy, 8% |
|
Suggested Topic #6 |
Civil rights and liberties, 8% |
|
Others (combined) |
21% |
|
Suggested Election Topics: DebateWatch participants wanted to hear more about the following topics in the post-debate phase of the election. |
|
|
Suggested Topic #1 |
Economic Issues, 22% |
|
Suggested Topic #2 |
Health and Healthcare, 15% |
|
Suggested Topic #3 |
National Security, 14% |
|
Suggested Topic #4 |
Education, 14% |
|
Suggested Topic #5 |
Environment and Energy, 12% |
|
Suggested Topic #6 |
Social Security, 5% |
|
Others (combined) |
All other categories, 18% |
|
September 30 Presidential Debate |
|
|
Number of participants |
13,522 |
|
Number of DebateWatch groups |
511 |
|
Most useful topic presented in the debate |
Iraq and War on Terror, 45% |
|
2nd most useful topic |
Nuclear Proliferation, 15% |
|
3rd most useful topic |
North Korea, 13% |
|
4th most useful topic |
Homeland Security, 9% |
|
October 5 Vice Presidential Debate |
|
|
Number of participants |
3,599 |
|
Number of DebateWatch groups |
286 |
|
Most useful topic presented in the debate |
Iraq and National Security, 21% |
|
2nd most useful topic |
Health and Healthcare, 15% |
|
3rd most useful topic |
Poverty and Jobs, 13% |
|
4th most useful topic |
Differences in candidates 10% |
|
October 8 Town Hall Presidential Debate |
|
|
Number of participants |
4,692 |
|
Number of DebateWatch groups |
434 |
|
Number of participants who reported that the town hall meeting format was more valuable than the traditional format |
32% |
|
Most useful topic presented in the debate |
Iraq and National Security, 23% |
|
2nd most useful topic |
Economic Issues, 20% |
|
3rd most useful topic |
Healthcare, 12% |
|
4th most useful topic |
Environment, 7% |
|
October 13 Presidential Debate |
|
|
Number of participants |
8,231 |
|
Number of DebateWatch groups |
771 |
|
Most useful topic presented in the debate |
Economic Issues, 25% |
|
2nd most useful topic |
Health and Healthcare, 18% |
|
3rd most useful topic |
Education, 13% |
|
4th most useful topic |
Social Security,10% |
|
Demographics: All debates |
|
|
Males |
43% |
|
Females |
57% |
|
|
|
|
Age: under 18 |
5% |
|
Age: 18-25 |
45% |
|
Age: 26-40 |
18% |
|
Age: 41-55 |
11% |
|
Age: over 55 |
21% |
|
African American |
27% |
|
Asian American |
3% |
|
Hispanic |
7% |
|
Native American |
1% |
|
White |
60% |
|
Other |
2% |
For additional information, email Heather Balas, Director of Voter Education, at [email protected].