IISEPS — Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Politycal Studies

RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED ON October 2-12, 2008
(1512 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

13. Did you have at your disposal sufficient information about the candidates who were put to the vote at your constituency and about their pre-election programs?

Variant of answer	%
Yes	43.0
No	50.8
NA	6.2

14. Which sources did you get the information about candidates and their programs from? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer	%
From different printed materials which got into my mail box	30.6
From TV programs	27.3
From pre-election leaflets, posters, placards, etc in the streets	23.2
From colleagues at work, acquaintances, neighbors	20.6
From the state press	18.2
From radio broadcasts	17.7
From meetings with candidates and persons empowered to act for them	7.8
From the independent press	6.6
From the Internet	5.4
From managers at work	5.3
Other	0.4
I did not have any information about candidates	21.0

15. Were you interested in who was going to become a deputy?

Variant of answer	%
Yes	60.1
No	37.6
NA	2.3

16. Some part of the opposition actively boycotted the last parliamentary elections i.e. called upon the electors not to vote. How do you estimate the results of the boycott?

Variant of answer	%
The boycott campaign did not succeed	65.7
The boycott campaign succeeded	6.8
DA/NA	27.5

17. Which characteristics of the candidate influenced your choice at voting to the greatest extent? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer	%
Life experience	27.2
Education	21.0
Professionalism	20.1
Profession	19.9
Work experience	14.3
Status	14.2
Age	12.1
Gender	7.2
Party membership	7.0
Other	3.3

18. Which two questions from the listed below were most important for you when you were deciding whom to vote for at the last elections? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer	%
The general quality of life	28.2
Rise in prices	22.3
Improvement of public health service	15.8
Payment of pensions	11.7
Democracy and independence of Belarus	9.2
Unemployment	7.4
Education	6.1
Relations with the West	4.4
Relations with Russia	4.3
A need for freedom in Belarus	3.6
Criminality	3.3
Corruption in the society	2.9
Threat of terrorism	1.6
Religious freedom	1.2
DA	3.5

19. If you took part in voting, then when had you decided to do it?

Variant of answer	%
Long before the elections	29.4
On the eve of the elections (5-6 days)	24.7
On the day of the elections	12.4
NA	33.5

20. If you took part in voting, then when had you made up your mind which of the candidates you were going to vote for?

Variant of answer	%
Long before the elections	17.0
On the eve of the elections (5-6 days)	29.7
At the polling place	19.8
NA	33.5

21. Your elected representative is:

Variant of answer	%
A supporter of the president	31.6
An adherent of the opposition	4.2
An independent candidate	13.7
DA/NA	50.5

22. Did you consult anybody when choosing a deputy contender you voted for? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer	%
I did not consult anybody and chose a candidate myself	41.3
Yes, I consulted members of my family	15.0
Yes, I consulted friends, acquaintances, neighbors	10.0
Yes, I consulted colleagues at work	2.6
Yes, I consulted other voters at the polling place	2.3
Yes, I consulted a member of the polling place staff	1.6
Yes, I consulted my superior at work	0.5

23. Did all the candidates, in your opinion, have equal conditions in the course of the elections?

Variant of answer	%
Yes	49.4
No	30.0
DA/NA	20.6

24. What forms of agitation did candidates at your constituency use? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer	%
Distribution of leaflets	46.0
Doorbell ringing	10.0
Meetings	9.9
Pickets	1.0
Political mass-meetings	0.2
I have not noticed any forms of agitation	44.7