Question Wordings: Previous Presidential Vote

1976 (CBS/New York Times): In 1972, For Whom Did You Vote?

Nixon / McGovern / Someone Else / Did Not Vote

1978, 1980 (CBS/New York Times): In 1976, For Whom Did You Vote?

Carter / Ford / Someone Else / Did Not Vote

1982 (CBS/New York Times): How Did You Vote In The 1980 Election For President?

Did Not Vote For President in 1980 / Reagan / Carter / Anderson / Someone Else

1982 (ABC/Washington Post): Back in 1980, for whom did you vote for president?

Jimmy Carter / Ronald Reagan / John Anderson / Someone else / Didn’t vote

1984 (CBS/New York Times): Who Did You Vote For In The 1980 Presidential Election?

Carter / Reagan / Anderson / Someone Else / Did Not Vote

1984 (ABC/Washington Post): Back in 1980, for whom did you vote for president?

John Anderson / Jimmy Carter / Ronald Reagan / Someone else / Didn’t vote

1986, 1988 (CBS/New York Times): Who Did You Vote For In The 1984 Presidential Election?

Mondale / Reagan / Someone Else / Did Not Vote

1986, 1988 (ABC/Washington Post*): Back in 1984, for whom did you vote for president?

Walter Mondale / Ronald Reagan / Someone else / Didn’t vote

1990 (VRS**): Who Did You Vote For In The 1988 Presidential Election?

George Bush / Michael Dukakis / Someone else / Didn’t happen to vote in 1988

1992 (VRS): Who Did You Vote For In The 1988 Presidential Election?

George Bush (Rep) / Michael Dukakis (Dem) / Someone else / Did not vote in 1988

1994 (VRS): Who did you vote for in the 1992 presidential election?

Bill Clinton (Dem) / George Bush (Rep) / Ross Perot (Ind) / Someone else /

Did not vote in 1992

1996 (VNS): In the 1992 election for president, did you vote for:

Bill Clinton (Dem) / George Bush (Rep) / Ross Perot (Ind) / Someone else /

Did not vote for President 

1998, 2000 (VNS): In the 1996 election for president, did you vote for:

Bill Clinton (Dem) / Bob Dole (Rep) / Ross Perot (Ref) / Someone else / Did not vote

(1998: Did not vote for President in 1996)

2002 (VNS): In the 2000 election for president, did you vote for:

Al Gore (Dem) / George W. Bush (Rep) / Ralph Nader (Gre) / Someone else /

Did not vote

2004 (NEP): Did you vote in the presidential election in 2000?

No, I did not vote / Yes, for Al Gore / Yes, for George W. Bush /

Yes, for another candidate

*The Washington Post did not participate in the 1988 ABC News poll

** VRS conducted the 1990 exit poll with CBS News and the New York Times, but this question appeared only on the VRS questionnaire.