The Poll:
As part of our Innovation & the Elections 2008 initiative, SEA commissioned a national poll to gauge whether American voters care about science. In a nutshell, the answer is yes. Find out more about your Congressional candidates’ views on science and technology.
Key Findings:
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Voters place a significant amount of importance on public policy decisions that are based on science and technology to solve problems we face today, like global warming, energy, public education, and health care. Roughly seven in ten voters (72%) rate this between 8-10 on a 10-point scale (where 0 is not at all important and 10 is extremely important). 43% of voters give this statement a rating of 10[1].
- Majorities of voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who is committed to advancing science and technology on a range of issues:
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86% of voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who is committed to preparing students with the skills they need for the 21st Century through public investments in science and technology education.Roughly half of voters (52%) say they would be much more likely to support candidates who expressed these priorities.
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84% of voters say they would be more likely to support a candidate who is committed to reducing the cost and improving the quality of healthcare through public investments in science and technology.Roughly half of voters (52%) say they would be much more likely to support candidates who expressed these priorities.
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Nearly eight in ten voters (78%) say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who is committed to meeting the demand for energy through public investments in science and technology and 70% say they would be more likely to support a candidate who is committed to addressing global climate change through investments in science and technology. A third of voters say they are much more likely to do so.
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Seven in ten voters (71%) say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who is committed to making sure the federal budget invests in scientific research.
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- Majorities across partisan lines say they would be more likely to support a candidate who is committed to these issues.
The poll was designed by Lake Research Partners and administered by Caravan in an omnibus survey conducted by professional telephone interviewers. The survey reached 1,005 adults nationwide in the continental United States from June 12-15. Read more.
- Question wording: On a scale that goes from 0 to 10, where 0 is not at all important and 10 is extremely important, how important do you think it is that America makes public policy decisions that are based on science and technology to solve problems we face today, like global warming, energy, public education, and health care?
