PRINCETON, NJ -- When asked whom they would vote for in the presidential election if it were held today, 45% of registered voters choose Democrat Barack Obama and 44% select Republican John McCain.
The race has clearly tightened and stabilized in recent days. Obama has received exactly 45% of the vote in the past four Gallup Poll Daily tracking reports, and McCain has received 43% or 44% support.
Thus, the candidates enter the high-intensity convention phase of the campaign essentially tied. Political observers are awaiting the news of whom Obama has selected as his vice presidential running mate, which could happen at any moment. That is the first of four high-profile campaign events -- along with the Democratic convention next week, McCain's vice presidential announcement (also likely next week), and the Republican convention the following week -- all have the potential to alter the structure of the presidential race. (To view the complete trend since March 7, 2008, click here.) -- Jeff Jones
Click here to see how the race currently breaks down by demographic subgroup.
Survey Methods
For the Gallup Poll Daily tracking survey, Gallup is interviewing no fewer than 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide each day during 2008.
The general-election results are based on combined data from Aug. 19-21, 2008. For results based on this sample of 2,687 registered voters, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±2 percentage points.
Interviews are conducted with respondents on land-line telephones (for respondents with a land-line telephone) and cellular phones (for respondents who are cell-phone only).
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
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