WASHINGTON, July 13 (UPI) -- U.S. voters remain lukewarm about the idea of affirmative action to promote the hiring of minorities and women, a Rasmussen poll indicated.
Results released Tuesday found just 32 percent of voters said they favor affirmative action, while 46 percent said they are opposed. Twenty-two percent indicated they weren't sure.
When asked specifically about government programs that give special treatment to women and minorities when hiring, the opposition rises to 55 percent, the Rasmussen poll said, while 29 percent said they favor such programs. Fifteen percent indicated they are undecided.
Blacks are more than twice as likely as whites to favor affirmative action and programs that afforded special treatment to women and minorities, the poll indicated. Women and men show little difference of opinion on preferential hiring.
Results are based on a nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted Saturday and Sunday. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.
