A new poll, conducted by the Marquette Law School May 15-18, finds the governor’s race a virtual dead heat with incumbent Governor Scott Walker (R) and Democratic challenger Mary Burke both polling at 46% support. The response represents a significant tightening of the race compared to the last Marquette poll in March, which had Walker leading 48% to 41%.

While the poll interviewed 805 registered voters, respondents who say they are absolutely certain to vote in November favored Walker (48%) over Burke (45%)  and those who said they were both certain to vote and excited about it favored Walker (50%) over Burke (45%).

Candidates were supported along partisan lines with 94% of Republicans supporting Walker and 88% of Democrats supporting Burke. Independents favored Walker 49% with 40% for Burke. In the March poll, independents favored Walker over Burke by a split of 48% to 37%.

In May, Walker is leading among male voters (52%-42%) compared the March poll which had Walker leading (52% to 37%). Among women voters, Burke leads by 49% to 41% compared to a tie in March at 44% each.

The May polling numbers show young voters (age 18-44) supporting Burke over Walker (51% to 41%) compared to reverse numbers in March, which had younger voters supporting Walker 49% to 38%.

Of the 805 voters interviewed, 32% identified themselves as Democrats compared to 27% in the March poll. Republicans made up 24% of the May sample and 25% of the March sample with Independents at 41% in May and 44% in March.

In other polling results:

• Voters support a photo ID requirement for voting (60% to 36%) while concurrently not viewing voter fraud as affecting that many votes.
• Two out of three voters (67% – 29%) agree or strongly agree that “you really can’t trust the government to do the right thing.”
• Voters agree that the economic benefits of transportation funding outweigh the cost to taxpayers (71% to 18%) ––– but are reluctant to support most mechanisms to pay for transportation projects. Raising gas taxes and vehicle registration fees was supported by 40% with 58% opposed.  Borrowing was supported by 32% with 65% opposed, and using money from other programs came in at 28% support and 65% opposed. Using tolls to pay for highway projects, however, received majority support, with 56% willing to use tolls and 42% unwilling to support.