Poll shows climate change not a big issue for voters in 2010 elections

Don’t look for environmental issues including global warming to be at the forefront of voters’ minds in the 2010 elections.

A new USA Today/Gallup poll ranks the issues at the bottom of seven topics pollsters asked voters about to gauge their priorities.

Twenty-two percent of voters polled March 26-28 called the environment (including global warming) “extremely important” to them in the congressional elections, while 24 percent called it “very important.”

The economy topped the list. Fifty-seven percent called it extremely important, while 36 percent listed it as very important. Healthcare and unemployment round out the top three.

The partisan split that’s a constant in climate polling is duly represented here. Thirty-four percent of Democrats called the environment (including global warming) extremely important, compared to 18 percent of independents and 16 percent of Republicans.

The poll is based on telephone interviews with 968 voters, and the margin of error is plus-or-minus 4 percent.