Most Ohio residents approve of governor’s job and support extensive COVID-19 regulations

Washington, DC, October 21, 2020 –  A new Spectrum News/Ipsos polls conducted in Ohio explores gubernatorial approval, sentiments toward COVID-19, voting behavior, and more. 

Detailed Findings

By far, Ohioans see COVID-19 as the single biggest problem facing the state (55%). This is followed by opioid or drug addiction and unemployment, in a distant second tier (35% and 32%, respectively).

• Though both Democrats and Republicans see COVID-19 as the main problem facing the state, Democrats are much more concentrated around the issue. For Republicans, opioid abuse is in a closer second place.

Governor DeWine earns high marks for his handling of the pandemic, and his approval rating on COVID-19 tracks closely with his overall approval. At the same time, a majority oppose the movement to impeach the governor.

• Overall, 67% approve of the job DeWine is doing as governor, and 65% approve of DeWine’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. A similar number, 61%, are not in favor of impeaching him.
• More Republicans support the movement to impeach him (31% vs. 18% among Democrats), but majorities from both parties approve of his handling of the pandemic (71% among Democrats, 67% among Republicans).
• A majority approve of the job DeWine is doing on almost every issue, except for gun control (47% approve) and climate change (40% approve). This is largely due to Democrats giving him lower ratings on these issues compared to others, though his approval rating on climate change is also comparatively lower among Republicans.

As Ohio residents see a return to normal in the distant future, they’re in favor of sweeping reforms to control the spread of COVID-19.

• A vast majority, 70%, say that in light of the current circumstances it will take 6 months or more for life in their community to return to normal. Folks are evenly split between 6-12 months (34%) and a year or more (36%); however, in the Cleveland media market, more say longer than a year (41%).
• Sixty-one percent agree there should be a state law mandating mask usage in public, and just 30% feel the lockdowns in their community have been too restrictive (62% disagree). A plurality (49%) also feel the early closing time for bars and restaurants has limited the spread of the virus (compared to 36% who disagree).
• Mandated mask usage is supported by a majority of all demographic groups – gender, age, income, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, area of the state. The only group where fewer than half agree with this proposal are Republicans: 48% agree, 47% disagree.

Slightly more prefer to vote in person than by mail. The perceived level of confidence in various ways of voting mirrors this, with Ohioans slightly more confident their vote will be counted in person than if it were mailed.

• Forty-eight percent prefer to vote in person, and 42% prefer to vote by mail. A majority of Republicans prefer in-person voting (64%), while most Democrats prefer mail-in/absentee voting (57%).
• Overall, 83% feel confident their vote would be counted if it were cast in person on Election Day, and 79% feel the same about voting early, in person. From there, confidence drops to 68% for dropping off your ballot and 61% for mail/absentee.
• Most (63%) are likely to trust the outcome of the election, no matter who wins. Partisans are more likely to trust this than independents, and white, college-educated Ohioans are more likely to trust the outcome than white, non-college people.

Trump contracting COVID-19 did not change views of him for many Ohioans. However, his public comments around mask wearing and social distancing turn people off.

• Overall, nearly half (48%) say Trump contracting the coronavirus has no impact on how they feel about him. Thirty-two percent say it makes them less favorable, compared to 15% who say it makes them more favorable.
• A majority, 51%, feel less favorable toward the president because of his public comments around mask wearing and social distancing (20% say more favorable).

About the Study   

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between October 7-14, 2020, on behalf of Spectrum News. For this survey, a sample of 1,400 adults age 18+ from Ohio was interviewed online in English, including an oversample of 400 respondents in the Cleveland media market, for a total of 652 interviews in that market.

The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the population of Ohio using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,400, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-4.5 percentage points).

The poll also has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points for respondents the in Cleveland media market.

For more information on this news release, please contact: 

Chris Jackson 
Senior Vice President, US   
Public Affairs   
+1 202 420-2025   
[email protected]     

Mallory Newall 
Director, US   
Public Affairs   
+1 202 420-2014   
[email protected]     

Kate Silverstein 
Media Relations Specialist, US   
Public Affairs   
+1 718 755-8829
[email protected] 

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