WYOMING ELECTION YEAR SURVEY, 1994 The Wyoming Election Year Survey (WEYS) is statewide telephone poll conducted biennially by the Survey Research Center under the sponsorship of the Government Research Bureau. A total of 611 respondents (selected at random) were included in the 1994 WEYS. The number of respondents in the Post-Election Survey is slightly lower (N=533) because some respondents declined to participate in the second survey or could not be reached. The Pre- Election Survey was conducted October 16-27. The Post-Election Survey was conducted November 9-15. PRE-ELECTION SURVEY (N=611) [The information in items #1-E6 concerned the administration of the survey and are omitted from the summary.] COUNTY 7. What county do you live in? Albany 7.2% Natrona 11.3% Big Horn 3.1% Niobrara 1.1% Campbell 4.9% Park 3.8% Carbon 2.6% Platte 2.0% Converse 3.3% Sheridan 7.2% Crook 2.8% Sublette 1.8% Fremont 7.2% Sweetwater 16.7% Goshen 1.8% Teton 0.0% Hot Springs 1.0% Uinta 0.0% Johnson 2.0% Washakie 0.0% Laramie 17.2% Weston 0.0% Lincoln 3.1% PROBCOMM 8. All Wyoming communities in our state face certain problems which need to be solved. What do you think is the most pressing problem in your community? Economy 15.1% Roads/Streets 4.1% Jobs/Employment 11.9% Water 2.8% Education/Schools 8.0% Taxes 2.1% Government/Politics 6.9% Drug/Alcohol 1.6% Youth 4.9% Health Care 1.1% Crime 4.9% Other 9.3% Enivornment/Land 4.6% Refused/DK 18.0% Housing 4.0% 1 VOTE92 10. Did you vote in the 1992 Presidential Election where Bill Clinton ran against George Bush and Ross Perot? (1) Yes - 83.5% (2) No - 15.9% (8) DK - .7% PRES92 If #10 is YES : 11. Did you vote for Bill Clinton, George Bush, Ross Perot, or some other candidate? (1) Clinton - 34.5% (2) Bush - 39.0% (3) Perot - 19.4% (4) Other - 1.4% (5) Refused/DK - 5.7% Please rate the job the following public officials are doing. Is their performance excellent, good, fair, or poor. CLINAPP Exc Good Fair Poor DK 12. U.S. President Bill Clinton? 2.1% 19.6% 38.8% 37.5% 2.0% SULLAPP 13. Wyoming Governor Mike Sullivan? 11.0% 42.9% 31.1% 9.0% 6.1% WALLAPP 14. U.S. Senator Malcolm Wallop? 9.2% 38.0% 27.7% 12.9% 11.3% SIMPAPP 15. U.S. Senator Alan Simpson? 12.1% 41.6% 27.7% 10.5% 8.2% THOMAPP 16. U.S. Congressman Craig Thomas? 12.8% 37.6% 26.8% 12.4% 10.3% LEGAPP 17. What about the Wyoming legislators? How do you think they have performed in recent years? 1.6% 35.2% 36.2% 13.1% 13.9% JUDAPP 18. What about Wyoming Judges? How do you think they have performed in recent years? 2.5% 35.5% 27.3% 8.7% 26.0% REGVOTE 19. Now let's talk about the upcoming general election on November 8th. Are you registered to vote in the General Election? (1) Yes - 83.6% (2) No - 15.7% (8) DK - .7% REGPARTY 20. Are you registered as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or some other party? (1) Republican - 52.3% (2) Democrat - 31.5% 2 (3) Independent/Other - 11.7% (4) Refused/DK - 4.5% PLANVOTE 21. Do you plan to vote in that General Election? (1) Yes - 97.5% (2) No - 1.0% (8) DK - 1.6% [Questions 22-36 based only on those planning to vote] 22. In the race for Governor, Democrat Kathy Karpan is running against Jim GOVCH Geringer, a Republican. If the election were held today, would you vote for: (1) Kathy Karpan - 42.0% (2) Jim Geringer - 44.8% (3) Other Candidate - .4% (4) Will not vote - .2% (5) Refused - 1.2% (8) Undecided/DK - 11.4% 23. What about the Senate race? Republican Craig Thomas is running against SENCH Mike Sullivan, a Democrat. If the election were held today, would you vote for: (1) Mike Sullivan - 38.0% (2) Craig Thomas - 47.4% (3) Other Candidate - .8% (4) Will not vote - .2% (5) Refused - 1.2% (8) Undecided/DK - 12.4 % 24. What about the Congressional election where Republican Barbara Cubin is CONGCH running against Democrat Bob Schuster? If the election were held today, would you vote for: (1) Bob Schuster - 30.5% (2) Barbara Cubin - 44.2% (3) Other Candidate - .8% (4) Will not vote - .8% (5) Refused - 1.4% (8) Undecided/DK - 22.3% 25. What about the judicial retention elections where a state supreme court justice is asking the voters to keep them in office? If the elections were held JUDVOT today, would you vote to keep Justice William Taylor in office? (1) Yes - 48.4% (2) No - 14.7% (3) Probably won't vote - 1.4% (4) Refused - .8% (8) Undecided/DK - 34.7% 26. Do you know Justice Taylor personally, or have you heard or read anything JTKNOW about him? (1) Yes, know personally - 3.2% (2) Yes, has heard or read about him - 27.3% (3) Neither - 54.2 (8) DK - 15.3% This year the voters of Wyoming are being asked to decide several issues in the ABORTHRD November 8th election. We would like to know your opinions about these issues. 27. The first proposal on the ballot concerns abortion. Have your read or heard about this proposal? (1) Yes - 81.5% (2) No - 17.5% (8) DK - 1.0% 3 ABORTCH If #27 is YES: 28. The proposal would make it illegal to perform an abortion except to save the life of the mother or if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against this proposal? (1) Vote for - 37.7% (2) Vote against - 58.4% (8) DK - 3.9% GAMBHRD 29. The second ballot proposal concerns local-option gambling. Have your read or heard about this proposal? (1) Yes - 94.0% (2) No - 5.4% (8) DK - .6% GAMCH If #29 is YES : 30. The proposal would permit the voters of a county to approve of gambling with games such as slot machines, poker, and blackjack. A state gaming commission would be created to establish the rules for gambling and to license game operators. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against this proposal? (1) Vote for - 33.8% (2) Vote against - 60.0% (8) DK - 6.2% BANKHRD 31. Another ballot would allow the state treasurer to invest state funds in Wyoming banks to make low-interest loans to Wyoming businesses and citizens. Have your read or heard about this proposal? (1) Yes - 72.3% (2) No - 24.3% (8) DK - 3.4% BANKCH If #31 is YES : 32. Under this proposal, the state treasurer to could invest five hundred million dollars of state funds in Wyoming banks to make low-interest loans to Wyoming businesses and citizens. The purpose of these loans is to stimulate the state's economy. The state treasurer has estimated that this proposal will actually decrease state revenues. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against this proposal? (1) Vote for - 40.6% (2) Vote against - 45.6% (8) DK - 13.9% PARHRD 33. One ballot proposal would amend the Wyoming Constitution to permit criminal sentences of life in prison without parole. Have your read or heard about this proposal? (1) Yes - 76.3% (2) No - 22.7% (8) DK - 1.0% PARCH If #33 is YES : 34. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against this proposal? (1) Vote for - 81.6% (2) Vote against - 12.1% STOCKHRD (8) DK - 6.3% 35. The final ballot proposal concerns investing state funds in the stock market. Have your read or heard about this proposal? (1) Yes - 66.1% (2) No - 31.7% (8) 2.2% If #35 is YES : 4 36. This proposal would amend the Wyoming Constitution to allow the state treasurer to invest state funds in the stock market as a way of increasing state revenue. If the election were held today, would you vote for or against this proposal? STOCKCH (1) Vote for - 31.0% (2) Vote against - 54.4% (8) DK - 14.6% Changing subjects now we would like to know how you feel about the following ideas concerning government in Washington and Cheyenne. GOVTRUST 37. How much of the time do you think you can trust the federal government in Washington to do what is right. Would you say just about always, most of the time, some of the time, or none of the time? (1) Just about always - 1.3% (2) Most of the time - 10.3% (3) Some of the time - 66.1% (4) None of the time - 21.8% (8) DK - .5% 38. Now for state government. How much of the time do you think you can trust WYOTRUST the state government in Cheyenne to do what is right. Would you say just about always, most of the time, some of the time, or none of the time? (1) Just about always - 2.8% (2) Most of the time - 48.1% (3) Some of the time - 42.4% (4) None of the time - 4.6% (8) DK - 2.1% 39. Would you say the government in Washington is pretty much run by a few GOVINT big interests looking out for themselves or that it is run for the benefit of all the people? (1) A few big interests - 84.3% (2) For the benefit of all- 9.2% (8) DK - 6.5% 40.