Poll: Second Life residents prefer Obama to McCain by over 2 to 1
By Eric Reuters
The latest poll average at RealClearPolitics has Barack Obama up 2.5 points over John McCain in the tight race for the White House, at 48.1 percent to 45.6 percent. But if the election was being held today in Second Life, Obama would win in a landslide.
Researcher Andrew Mallon of the Social Research Foundation, known in avatar form as Andy Evans, polled over 1,000 Second Life residents about their usage of Linden’s virtual world. But while he had an audience, Mallon threw in another question:
In the upcoming election, who do you plan to vote for (USA Citizens), or prefer (International residents)?
Among American citizens, Obama beats McCain handily in the unscientific poll.
| Candidate | Respondents | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Obama | 224 | 45.6% |
| McCain | 102 | 20.8% |
| Undecided | 79 | 16.1% |
| I don’t plan to vote | 29 | 5.9% |
| I prefer not to say | 29 | 5.9% |
| Other | 28 | 5.7% |
| 491 | 100.0% |
Among Second Life’s large population of non-American citizens, the preference for Obama is even stronger.
| Candidate | Respondents | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Obama | 330 | 57.5% |
| McCain | 41 | 7.1% |
| Undecided | 41 | 7.1% |
| I don’t plan to vote | 109 | 19.0% |
| I prefer not to say | 37 | 6.4% |
| Other | 16 | 2.8% |
| 574 | 100.0% |
Mallon’s poll remains open to the public until September 30, at which point he’ll publish his data about Second Life usage. Second Life residents can take the poll by clicking here.
