Early Wisconsin recall exit polls: 60 percent say recalls are only for official misconduct

A woman casts her ballot Tuesday, June 5, 2012, in Milwaukee.

/ AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

(CBS News) Sixty percent of Wisconsin voters in today's recall election say recall elections are only appropriate for official misconduct, according to early CBS News exit polls. Twenty-eight percent said they think they are suitable for any reason, while nine percent think they are never appropriate.

Today's recall election in Wisconsin pits Republican Gov. Scott Walker versus Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, in a rematch of their 2010 race. According to the early exit polls, 6 percent say they decided on their candidate in the last few days, with 93 percent saying they made up their minds before that.

The recall effort was brought about mainly in response to Walker's plan that restricted collective bargaining rights for public union workers. Today, 52 percent of Wisconsin voters in the early exit polls said they have a favorable view of unions for government workers, while 43 percent have an unfavorable opinion of these unions. Among voters in unions households (public or not), 69 percent view these unions favorably.

On the issue of collective bargaining, 50 percent of Wisconsin voters say they approved of the recent changes to state law that limits collective bargaining for government workers, but 48 percent disapproved of these changes.

In Wisconsin, reports of voter suppression efforts
Will Scott Walker survive Wisconsin recall election?

More generally, 54 percent of Wisconsin voters surveyed think government should generally have a more limited role when it comes to solving problems, compared to 42 percent who said government should do more. These views are similar to November 2010.

Fifty-three percent of Barrett's supporters say their vote today was mainly for their candidate, but 45 percent say it was against his opponents. Among Walker's supporters, about nine in 10 describe their vote as mainly for Walker -- only 8 percent say their vote was mainly against his opponents.

The vote has been closely watched for potential clues into the presidential race between President Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the key battleground state. According to the early exit polls, Mr. Obama has an advantage over Romney, fifty-one to 45 percent. Two percent say they won't vote.

More details from the exit polls will be released after the polls close in Wisconsin at 9 p.m. ET.

[Maerzie]

$30-50 MILLION DOLLARS worth of lies can BUY a LOT of weak minds of people too busy or too LAZY to THINK and research to find out facts. It's easier to SELL OUT our democracy and let votes be BOUGHT from the non-thinkers by the highest bidder. Doesn't EVERYBODY "balance" budgets by mortgaging their debts until LATER when even MORE MONEY will be due because of added interest? That's kind of NON-THINKING that put houses into foreclosure!!

[Maerzie]

Lying to constituents IS "Official Misconduct"!

[Maerzie]

I just wish the John Doe investigations would be ready to bring their charges, since we now know that Scott Walker is the target of the investigations. It was actually quite apparent already because he put so much of the campaign funding into his "Criminal Defense Fund"! Walker is the ONLY governor i n our NATION who needs and HAS his own Criminal Defense Fund! It will be interesting to find out WHY!!

[Maerzie]

Do liars EVER count on prime witnesses being given "immunity" for their testimony!??

[ge556]

The right-wing big money succeeded in getting people to confuse a recall with impeachment. They are different things, suitable for different situations. Recall is a constitutional right, in Wisconsin, whenever the people don't feel represented by their elected official.

At least 20% of the people don't like Walker's actions but don't think recall was legitimate. If a quarter of those recognized it as legitimate, Walker would have lost.

[suns987]

So campaign fraud and deception isn't misconduct to the majority of Wisconsinites? That's bull. Every educated Wisconsinite knows that Walker and his supporters were bought and paid for, i.e., the election was, regardless of who voted. It was a farce, just like the first time.

[Maerzie]

Yes. I didn't think the weak minds would fall for the same deception TWICE, but they're further gone than I could even imagine! This is the PURPOSE for Republicans to always cut funding for education! It is their recruitment tool for the uneducated NON-thinkers! 1% of the money actually isn't enough people (without their NON-thinking gullibles) to EVER win ANY election! They MUST continue to create more right along. And, their lies WORK! The "BELIEVERS" eat them up without question!

[TimeToEvolve]

I guess people really do not like their jobs and pay. They will have to learn the hard way about the conservatives and their wet dream of the race-to-the-bottom Wal Mart economy.

[bbglow]

Time will tell ... will it become necessary for future workers to fight for fair wages, personal time and safe work environments all over again? Has this produced safeguards against public sector executives from increasing their own income and benefits?

As an alternative ... would it have been better to introduces a third party taxpayer advocate into the public sector collective bargianing negotiation process? And, should a taxpayer advocate be considered to help determine if public sector executive compensation increases are warranted?

[yankskeptic]

More lame news spin from the liberal progressive press.

If Walker were recalled, this poll would have been buried.

[PlatinumWords]

No misconduct on Walkers part, just vindictive whining sore loser Union Thugs, Democrats, progressive socialists and scumbag Obama and Bill Clinton with a vendetta.

The recall should have never happened in America.
Now these losers have to go hide out with their tails between their legs and go lick their wounds like the dogs they truly are.

[Maerzie]

We'll see who's licking what when the John Doe investigation results come out in our own Wisconsin "Walkergate"!

[Maerzie]

Since when is "LYING to Constituents"in regard to state business "acceptable" official conduct?

[empregup]

Govenor Walker did not testify that the union measure would not save any money. He said that the first provision of the measure does not save any money. He was trying to explain the reason, but Congressman Kucinich cut him off and told him to answer the question. Read the transcript a little more carefully and you will see what I am talking about.

[mikethep]

I hate to gloat, but the overwhelming 60-40 victory of Walker and Kleefish over the desperate democrat opposition should prove a disgust by the people of Obama and the oppressive public unions that support him.

Obama is toast.

[mikethep]

BTW: "slownewsday1000" - you are obviously on the "40" side.

LMFAO!!!

[ge556]

Wrong, mikethep. Exit polls in WI showed that people support Obama.
This election was not won by support for Walker, it was won by people thinking what Walker did was insufficient grounds for recall. That idea was bought with tens of millions of dollars in ads.