Educational technology stakeholders favor Barack Obama over John McCain in the 2008 presidential race, 58 percent to 37 percent, according to an informal eSchool News survey. Though unscientific, our poll suggests a great deal about how the educators, administrators, and ed-tech vendors who read eSchool News view the topics that will shape this race ... and the issues that matter most for schools.

Leadership trumps experience as a key qualification for president, according to our survey--and the economy is the No. 1 issue on educators' minds. That's not surprising, given how declining property values and shrinking state coffers have ravaged school budgets from coast to coast.

In an election where so much is at stake, opinions run strong--as evidenced by the strong response to our survey. In just five days, more than 1,000 readers took a few minutes from their busy schedules to answer a series of questions for us online.

Our readers revealed they have deep concerns about the many challenges facing the United States--from the nation's declining standing on the global stage, to a struggling educational system and a sagging economy, to government corruption and our dependence on foreign oil.

"I am adamant that the next president be a true leader--intelligent, visionary, with an understanding of the importance of building good relationships and maintaining a respected standing with leaders around the world," wrote one frustrated reader.

"There is more riding on this election than any other time in history. We need to strengthen how we are perceived around the world. We need to strengthen education, and we need to strengthen the economy," wrote another.

Few readers (only 5 percent) said they were undecided, and nearly 80 percent said they strongly favored one candidate over the other.

Women favored Obama in our survey by a 2-to-1 margin, 64 percent to 32 percent--calling into question the idea that McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate would draw women voters to the Republican ticket (at least as far as our readers are concerned). Among men, the responses were a virtual dead heat: 48 percent for Obama, 47 percent for McCain.

Our survey also revealed a deep geographical divide: While respondents from the South favored McCain, 51 percent to 45 percent, respondents from all other geographic areas (Northeast, Midwest, West) favored Obama by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.

Teachers favored Obama in our survey, 55 percent to 40 percent. That's not surprising, given that teachers' unions typically endorse the Democratic ticket in a presidential race. But what might surprise some people is that Obama received even greater support from the business community: 58 percent of ed-tech vendors favored Obama, while 40 percent of vendors said they supported McCain.

Maybe that's because Obama has talked about the need for schools to teach 21st-century skills and upgrade their technology to keep America globally competitive (see "Obama outlines broad plan for U.S. education")--while the McCain campaign has been largely silent on this issue so far.