Poll of NYC mayoral primary gives away little

The NY1-Marist Poll shows New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn getting 20 percent of the vote; Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, 16 percent; former city Comptroller Bill Thompson, 12 percent; and Comptroller John Liu 10 percent. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio garnered 7 percent and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, 6 percent.

The telephone poll of 403 registered Democrats was taken Sept. 20 through Sept. 22.

It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points, meaning the results for either candidate could be interpreted as 5 points higher or 5 points lower. In other words, Quinn could end up getting 15 percent of the vote while Markowitz could get 21 percent. Statistically speaking, support for the two is about even.

"This is a campaign story still to be told," said Lee Miringoff, head of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, noting that the election is so far away and the poll showed that 25 percent of the Democrats surveyed were undecided.

Markowitz has not expressed interest in running for mayor. If the popular Brooklyn Borough president were out of the picture, Quinn and Thompson would be about even, the poll shows. Without Markowitz, 22 percent of Democrats are for Quinn, and 18 percent for Thompson.

In polling 623 registered voters, NY1-Marist found another factor in the primary might be Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is serving his third and last term.

"Those looking to succeed Mayor Bloomberg might welcome his support," said Miringoff. "But if the numbers hold, don't expect anyone to make his endorsement the centerpiece of their campaign."