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, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER PUBLIC OPINION POLL (PRESENTED BY SUSQUEHANNA BANK) REVEALS MAJORITY OF PENNSYLVANIA VOTERS SUPPORT NEW VOTER ID LAW IN THE KEYSTONE STATE Post-Convention Data Indicates Obama Leading Romney By 11 Points In Pennsylvania
PHILADELPHIA, September 15, 2012 In a new Philadelphia Inquirer Public Opinion Poll, presented by Susquehanna Bank and published this morning, 600 likely Presidential year voters across Pennsylvania provided revealing results about Pennsylvanias highly publicized new voter ID law. The poll, conducted September 9 through September 12, indicated that 80% of voters are familiar with the issue, including 41% who said they are very familiar. Nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvania voters are in favor of the new law, with 65% in support and 32% opposing it. The law is supported by 85% of Republicans and 72% of Independents. Democrats are more likely to oppose the law, with 51% reporting they disapprove and 46% reporting their approval. When asked if the new law will make voting difficult this year, 5% of the voters polled said the law will make voting difficult for them this year, while 94% said it will not make it difficult. The post-convention surge that is often anticipated by both political parties in polling data appears to currently benefit President Barack Obama, who leads Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney by 11 points among likely voters in the Keystone State, 50% to 39%, with a margin of error +/- 4%. Pennsylvania Democrats are more consolidated behind Obama, with 77% in favor of Obama and 13% in favor of Romney, while Republicans are 18% in favor of Obama and 71% in favor of Romney. The voters provided their opinion of the President, with a 56% favorable/40% unfavorable rating. Following the conventions, Obamas favorability rating has increased by 3 points, while his unfavorable rating has decreased by 6 points. Opinions of Romney have improved slightly following the conventions, but he still has a net negative personal popularity rating among voters in state, with 46% favorable/48% unfavorable rating. The poll surprisingly revealed that 35% of voters who viewed the Republican National Convention report that they are less likely to vote for Mitt Romney as a result of the convention, while 26% of viewers report that they are more likely to vote for the Republican Presidential candidate. The results following the Democratic National Convention are more positive, with 38% of the conventions viewers reporting that they are more likely to vote for Obama, and 22% reporting that they are less likely to vote for the President. Pennsylvania voters participating in the poll were asked if they can correctly identify Obamas religion. The results revealed that only 29% of likely voters correctly identified the Presidents religion as Protestant, while 12% said the President is a Muslim and 31% said they do not know. Among those voters who believe the President is a Muslim, 30% said they are comfortable with Obamas religion, while 56% said they are uncomfortable. The Inquirer Public Opinion Poll resulted in data that provides our readers with important and revelatory insights into how Pennsylvania voters view the new ID law and, once again, their perspective on the Presidential race, said Philadelphia Inquirer Editor Bill Marimow.
AboutInterstateGeneralMedia InterstateGeneralMediaLLCistheparentcompanyofPhiladelphiaMediaNetwork(PMN),publisherofThePhiladelphia Inquirer,PhiladelphiaDailyNews,PhiladelphiaSportsWeekandPhilly.com.Withitsmultiplebrandplatformsandintegrated printanddigitalproducts,PMNistheregionslargestmedianetworkandtheindustrystechnologicalleaderandinnovator. PhiladelphiaMediaNetworkpublicationsreachanaverageweeklyaudienceof2.2millionadultsmorethanthe

 AboutInterstateGeneralMedia InterstateGeneralMediaLLCistheparentcompanyofPhiladelphiaMediaNetwork(PMN),publisherofThePhiladelphia Inquirer,PhiladelphiaDailyNews,PhiladelphiaSportsWeekandPhilly.com.Withitsmultiplebrandplatformsandintegrated printanddigitalproducts,PMNistheregionslargestmedianetworkandtheindustrystechnologicalleaderandinnovator. PhiladelphiaMediaNetworkpublicationsreachanaverageweeklyaudienceof2.2millionadultsmorethanthe combinationofthethreeeveningtelevisionnewsshowsorthecombinationofthoseradiostationsrankedinthetopten duringdrivetimeprogramming.

AboutSusquehannaBancshares,Inc. SusquehannaBancshares,Inc.,isafinancialservicesholdingcompanywithassetsofapproximately$18billion.Throughits SusquehannaBanksubsidiary,thecompanyprovidesbankingandfinancialservicesat260branchlocationsinPennsylvania, NewJersey,MarylandandWestVirginia.ThroughSusquehannaWealthManagement,thecompanyoffersinvestment, fiduciary,brokerage,insurance,retirementplanning,andprivatebankingservices,withapproximately$7.5billioninassets undermanagementandadministration.Susquehannaalsooperatesaninsurancebrokerageandemployeebenefits company,acommercialfinancecompanyandavehicleleasingcompany.Formoreinformation,pleasevisit www.susquehanna.net. PollMethodology PhiladelphiaInquirer/SusquehannaBankPennsylvaniapublicopinionpollresultsarebasedonlivetelephoneinterviews conductedAugust21throughAugust23with601likelyPresidentialyearvotersacrossPennsylvania.Thepollwasconducted byabipartisanteamofnationalpoliticalpollingfirms.Overallresultshavebeenweightedtoadjustforvariationinthe sample.Intheory,in19casesoutof20,resultsbasedonsuchsamplesofalllikelyvoterswilldifferbynomorethan4.0 percentagepointsineitherdirectionfromwhatwouldhavebeenobtainedbyseekingtointerviewallregisteredvoterswho arelikelytovoteintheNovember2012election.Resultsbasedonsmallersubgroupshavealargersamplingerror.

Press Contacts: For Interstate General Media: Mark Block, (o) 215/854-5640, (c) 202/494-0450, mblock@philly.com For Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc: Stephen Trapnell, (o) 717.625.6548 x56548 (c) 717.271.8612, Stephen.Trapnell@susquehanna.net