| Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #20285 |
| 1 | Do you approve or disapprove of the job Pope Benedict XVI has done as Pope? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Religion | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian / | Protesta | Catholic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Approve | 53% | 58% | 48% | 56% | 49% | 44% | 60% | 53% | 53% | 54% | 63% | 33% | ** | 47% | 60% | 52% | 55% | 54% | 52% | 52% | 57% | 44% |
| Disapprove | 22% | 22% | 23% | 17% | 24% | 30% | 19% | 20% | 24% | 20% | 21% | 38% | ** | 18% | 29% | 21% | 18% | 27% | 26% | 19% | 19% | 42% |
| Not Sure | 25% | 20% | 29% | 27% | 27% | 26% | 20% | 27% | 23% | 26% | 17% | 29% | ** | 35% | 11% | 28% | 27% | 19% | 22% | 29% | 24% | 14% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 47% | 53% | 24% | 16% | 29% | 32% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 8% | 9% | 2% | 37% | 34% | 29% | 42% | 38% | 17% | 35% | 42% | 17% |
| 2 | Pope Benedict XVI will resign at the end of the month due to his advanced age. Were you surprised by the Pope's resignation? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Religion | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.3% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian / | Protesta | Catholic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Yes | 65% | 70% | 61% | 70% | 58% | 58% | 71% | 65% | 65% | 68% | 47% | 48% | ** | 66% | 75% | 52% | 67% | 65% | 56% | 59% | 71% | 71% |
| No | 25% | 20% | 30% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 21% | 25% | 25% | 21% | 43% | 42% | ** | 25% | 22% | 30% | 22% | 29% | 26% | 30% | 23% | 17% |
| Not Sure | 10% | 11% | 9% | 6% | 15% | 13% | 8% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | ** | 10% | 3% | 18% | 10% | 6% | 18% | 11% | 6% | 12% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 47% | 53% | 24% | 16% | 29% | 32% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 8% | 9% | 2% | 37% | 34% | 29% | 42% | 38% | 17% | 35% | 42% | 17% |
| 3 | Is advanced age an acceptable reason for a Pope to resign? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Religion | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 3.8% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian / | Protesta | Catholic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Yes | 76% | 80% | 72% | 90% | 81% | 68% | 69% | 86% | 68% | 78% | 80% | 53% | ** | 74% | 72% | 81% | 72% | 79% | 77% | 74% | 76% | 74% |
| No | 17% | 15% | 19% | 10% | 13% | 20% | 21% | 11% | 21% | 13% | 20% | 43% | ** | 17% | 23% | 9% | 18% | 16% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Not Sure | 8% | 5% | 9% | 0% | 6% | 12% | 10% | 2% | 11% | 9% | 0% | 4% | ** | 9% | 4% | 9% | 10% | 5% | 5% | 10% | 5% | 9% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 47% | 53% | 24% | 16% | 29% | 32% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 8% | 9% | 2% | 37% | 34% | 29% | 42% | 38% | 17% | 35% | 42% | 17% |
| 4 | How much of a role should the current Pope have in the selection of the next Pope? A major role? A minor role? Or no role at all? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Religion | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian / | Protesta | Catholic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Major Role | 30% | 31% | 29% | 49% | 29% | 24% | 21% | 41% | 23% | 32% | 25% | 11% | ** | 25% | 30% | 36% | 36% | 25% | 32% | 34% | 27% | 27% |
| Minor Role | 30% | 25% | 35% | 23% | 32% | 31% | 34% | 27% | 33% | 28% | 43% | 41% | ** | 30% | 27% | 33% | 25% | 39% | 26% | 22% | 38% | 30% |
| No Role At All | 36% | 40% | 33% | 28% | 35% | 38% | 41% | 31% | 40% | 36% | 32% | 44% | ** | 38% | 39% | 30% | 35% | 35% | 37% | 38% | 34% | 42% |
| Not Sure | 3% | 4% | 3% | 0% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 1% | 5% | 4% | 0% | 5% | ** | 6% | 3% | 0% | 4% | 1% | 5% | 7% | 1% | 1% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 47% | 53% | 24% | 16% | 29% | 32% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 8% | 9% | 2% | 37% | 34% | 29% | 42% | 38% | 17% | 35% | 42% | 17% |
| 5 | How much of a role should the Pope continue to have with the Catholic Church after his resignation? |
| 500 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Religion | Party Affiliation | Ideology | ||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian / | Protesta | Catholic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Major Role | 17% | 18% | 15% | 17% | 25% | 16% | 12% | 20% | 14% | 18% | 17% | 0% | ** | 16% | 20% | 12% | 21% | 12% | 11% | 24% | 10% | 20% |
| Minor Role | 52% | 54% | 51% | 60% | 53% | 47% | 51% | 57% | 49% | 51% | 56% | 61% | ** | 49% | 51% | 57% | 58% | 55% | 36% | 50% | 62% | 43% |
| No Role At All | 28% | 25% | 30% | 21% | 22% | 32% | 32% | 21% | 32% | 28% | 27% | 28% | ** | 28% | 26% | 30% | 16% | 31% | 49% | 19% | 27% | 37% |
| Not Sure | 4% | 3% | 4% | 2% | 0% | 6% | 4% | 1% | 5% | 3% | 0% | 10% | ** | 7% | 2% | 1% | 5% | 2% | 4% | 7% | 1% | 0% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 47% | 53% | 24% | 16% | 29% | 32% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 8% | 9% | 2% | 37% | 34% | 29% | 42% | 38% | 17% | 35% | 42% | 17% |