A new North Carolina poll released a day before the state's crucial primary shows Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton 48% to 46%. Survey USA's survey has a margin of error 3.5 making the state a statistical tie with Obama slightly favored.

25 percent of the North Carolina voters surveyed told the polling firm that their ballots have already been cast. Out of these early primary voters, 57% percent voted for Obama, 41% for Clinton and 3 percent North Carolinians preferring others.

The polling period reflects North Carolina voters from May 2 through May 4.

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During Friday night's North Carolina Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Hillary Clinton announced that if elected President, she promises to provide a $10,000 tax credit for Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles.

The Clinton campaign claims that 50% of Americans drive 25 miles a day or less. Plug-in hybrids, also known as PHEVs, have enough of a range for these consumers to eliminate gasoline costs, according to the campaign.

Clinton also envisions harnessing electricity provided by wind or other renewable to provide power for PHEVs.

This proposed tax credit is part of Clinton's larger long term energy policy plan that includes investing $2 billion in research and development of battery technology for electric powered vehicles and increase fuel economy standards to 40 mpg by 2020 and 55 by 2030.

This announcement comes while both John McCain and the New York Senator are working on legislation to provide a gas tax holiday, in which federal fuel tax will not be imposed on consumers for the summer.

The presumptive Republican candidate offers no plan to pay for the lost revenue while Clinton is pushing to replace the funds with a windfall profit gas tax placed on oil companies.

Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama opposes a gas tax holiday, calling the plan a short-term "gimmick" that he claims will save the average American about 30 cents a day.

Barack Obama's energy policy includes a plan to expand locally owned biofuel refineries with incentives and double fuel economy standards within 18 years.

The North Carolina Jefferson-Jackson dinner is an annual fundraiser for the Democratic Party. This year it was held in the J.S. Dorton Arena at the state fairgrounds in Charlotte and featured speeches by Governor Mike Easley, Jerry Meek, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.

The North Carolina primary for the Democratic Party will be held on Tuesday, May 6

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North Carolina Primary Macro Analysis:

Moderate Voters

North Carolina voters might be considered moderate as evidenced by having two Republican US Senators, citing "Moral Values" as the most important issue according to 2004 election exit polls, and the electorate choosing George W. Bush over Al Gore by 12.8% in 2000 and Bush over John Kerry by 12.44% in 2004.

 

2.6 Million Democrats

There are 5,791,221 total registered voters as of April 26, 2008. 2,616,995 out of the total are registered Democrats and 1,240,297 are registered Independents who can vote on either the Republican or Democratic primary ballot.

Women make up 54.6% of the total registered voters (Democrats, Republicans and Independents) and African-Americans represent 20.6%.

Primary Day: May 6

The primaries will be held on May 6, 2008. Polls will open at 6:30 am and close at 7:30 pm E.T. The state also offers "One-Stop Absentee Voting" between April 17 and Saturday, May 3. People who opt for early voting will be able to register to vote at the same time and place that they cast their ballot.

Democratic Delegates

North Carolina has 115 pledged delegates up for grabs from the Democratic primary results plus an additional 19 unpledged matic delegates.

Barack Obama leads the Superdelegate count with 6 compared to Hillary Clinton's 2.

Hillary Clinton has North Carolina's greatest Democratic asset, the two-term governor and Superdelegate, Mike Easley. Barack Obama's best known surrogate is U.S. House Representative and superdelegate, Mel Watt.

Obama Ahead, Clinton Gaining

Obama is five points ahead of Clinton (49% to 44%) according to polls released on April 28. However, voters seem to be moving towards the former first lady as Clinton has cut Obama's 10 point advantage back on April 7 down to the current 5 point lead.

Primary Day: May 6, 2008

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