Poll: Obama leads McCain by 6 points

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama leads GOP rival John McCain by six points among registered U.S. voters, a Gallup poll issued Sunday indicated.

The poll -- based on interviews with voters Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- found Obama preferred by 48 percent of those surveyed, compared to 42 percent for McCain, Gallup said on its Web site.

Obama held an eight-point lead during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, as well as in the Gallup three-day poll released Saturday. However, Gallup pollsters said, the six-point lead reported Sunday was an increase for Obama compared to one week ago when the race was virtually tied.

Obama has not gained additional support in the poll since his nationally televised acceptance speech Thursday night. The survey period covered by the poll released Sunday includes two days of interviewing registered voters since McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

The results are based on a sample of 2,730 registered voters and the maximum margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.