| Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #20286 |
| 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 | Other | Protesta | Catholic | Other/No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Approve | 35% | 36% | 34% | 20% | 37% | 42% | 42% | 26% | 42% | 36% | ** | 28% | 20% | 33% | 55% | 29% | 49% | 34% | 26% | 49% | 37% | 27% |
| Disapprove | 30% | 38% | 23% | 40% | 27% | 24% | 28% | 35% | 26% | 31% | ** | 36% | 19% | 30% | 35% | 28% | 23% | 42% | 20% | 24% | 24% | 54% |
| Not Sure | 35% | 27% | 43% | 40% | 36% | 33% | 31% | 38% | 32% | 33% | ** | 36% | 61% | 37% | 10% | 42% | 29% | 24% | 54% | 27% | 39% | 19% |
| 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% | 49% | 51% | 28% | 18% | 26% | 28% | 46% | 54% | 85% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 32% | 17% | 51% | 27% | 42% | 27% | 29% | 40% | 24% |
| 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: ± 4.5% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Protesta | Catholic | Other/No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Yes | 54% | 54% | 55% | 43% | 53% | 59% | 62% | 47% | 61% | 56% | ** | 57% | 24% | 49% | 80% | 49% | 56% | 61% | 46% | 54% | 54% | 67% |
| No | 25% | 26% | 25% | 28% | 23% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 25% | 27% | ** | 21% | 12% | 36% | 16% | 22% | 34% | 23% | 23% | 36% | 24% | 19% |
| Not Sure | 20% | 20% | 21% | 28% | 24% | 17% | 13% | 27% | 15% | 17% | ** | 22% | 64% | 15% | 4% | 29% | 10% | 16% | 32% | 10% | 22% | 15% |
| 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% | 49% | 51% | 28% | 18% | 26% | 28% | 46% | 54% | 85% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 32% | 17% | 51% | 27% | 42% | 27% | 29% | 40% | 24% |
| 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: ± 4.1% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Protesta | Catholic | Other/No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Yes | 70% | 74% | 66% | 49% | 84% | 80% | 72% | 63% | 76% | 70% | ** | 76% | 58% | 78% | 90% | 58% | 73% | 69% | 67% | 72% | 73% | 66% |
| No | 17% | 15% | 19% | 28% | 10% | 13% | 14% | 21% | 14% | 16% | ** | 24% | 13% | 10% | 8% | 24% | 15% | 16% | 22% | 15% | 11% | 23% |
| Not Sure | 13% | 11% | 15% | 23% | 6% | 6% | 14% | 16% | 11% | 13% | ** | 0% | 30% | 12% | 2% | 17% | 12% | 15% | 11% | 12% | 16% | 11% |
| 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% | 49% | 51% | 28% | 18% | 26% | 28% | 46% | 54% | 85% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 32% | 17% | 51% | 27% | 42% | 27% | 29% | 40% | 24% |
| 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 | Other | Protesta | Catholic | Other/No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Major Role | 26% | 18% | 32% | 25% | 30% | 30% | 19% | 27% | 24% | 22% | ** | 26% | 59% | 22% | 30% | 26% | 31% | 17% | 37% | 31% | 26% | 9% |
| Minor Role | 33% | 28% | 36% | 30% | 30% | 32% | 37% | 30% | 34% | 33% | ** | 45% | 15% | 38% | 23% | 32% | 20% | 42% | 33% | 23% | 36% | 49% |
| No Role At All | 37% | 50% | 25% | 40% | 30% | 34% | 41% | 36% | 38% | 39% | ** | 29% | 23% | 33% | 46% | 37% | 47% | 36% | 25% | 46% | 30% | 39% |
| Not Sure | 5% | 3% | 6% | 4% | 10% | 4% | 3% | 6% | 3% | 5% | ** | 0% | 4% | 6% | 1% | 5% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 1% | 8% | 3% |
| 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% | 49% | 51% | 28% | 18% | 26% | 28% | 46% | 54% | 85% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 32% | 17% | 51% | 27% | 42% | 27% | 29% | 40% | 24% |
| 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 | Other | Protesta | Catholic | Other/No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | |
| Major Role | 14% | 13% | 16% | 19% | 19% | 10% | 11% | 19% | 10% | 15% | ** | 4% | 22% | 10% | 11% | 18% | 18% | 11% | 14% | 17% | 14% | 9% |
| Minor Role | 44% | 38% | 50% | 33% | 52% | 45% | 48% | 40% | 47% | 43% | ** | 34% | 57% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 46% | 44% | 50% | 34% |
| No Role At All | 35% | 44% | 27% | 44% | 20% | 39% | 34% | 34% | 36% | 35% | ** | 62% | 18% | 41% | 40% | 31% | 32% | 35% | 35% | 33% | 25% | 54% |
| Not Sure | 7% | 6% | 7% | 4% | 10% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 7% | ** | 0% | 4% | 7% | 3% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 11% | 3% |
| 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% | 49% | 51% | 28% | 18% | 26% | 28% | 46% | 54% | 85% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 32% | 17% | 51% | 27% | 42% | 27% | 29% | 40% | 24% |