Quadsville

I posted the material below earlier this week, but wanted to re-post it with several additional notes:

1) The questions below were taken directly from Gallup.com so that we could compare these local and Unity Fest-specific numbers to national data. The only exception here is in the three questions about racial relations "in the Quad Cities these days," where we decided to examine attitudes about our local context more specifically.

2) I also neglected to credit Dr. David Rohall, of WIU's Sociology Department. Dr. Rohall and his students helped immensely by running our data through more specialized software than I had available. 

3) Rather than responding to this blog, my students will be creating their own blogs and posting brief articles in the days ahead about the experience of surveying QC residents and about the significance of our data.

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The following initial results are taken from a public poll conducted on 9/28/08 by WIU-QC faculty and students at the Quad Cities Unity Fest in LeClaire Park, Davenport. 252 individuals completed a 5-minute, 20-question survey addressing issues of race, religion, and politics (especially the upcoming presidential election). Please note that on some questions the numbers do not add up to 100% due to invalid/multiple/declined responses and/or rounding up.

 Additional numbers are available to interested parties. Please also watch this blog in the coming days for student reflections on their surveying experiences and the significance of this data. 

Dr. Everett Hamner, e-hamner@wiu.edu

QUESTIONS ABOUT POLITICS

If you had to choose, which of the following issues will be most important to your vote for president?

57% The economy; 11% The situation in Iraq; 3% Terrorism; 13% Energy, including gas prices; 12% Health care; 4% Some other issue

Suppose the election were held today. Would you be more likely to vote for …?

80% Obama; 13% McCain; 7% Other/ Neither/ No opinion

Do you plan to vote in the election for the U.S. President this November?

87% Yes; 4% Probably so; 0% Probably not; 9% No

QUESTIONS ABOUT RACE, RELIGION, AND OTHER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

We’d like to know how you would rate relations between various groups in the Quad Cities these days. Would you call relations between..?

WHITES AND BLACKS: 13% Very good; 72% Somewhat good; 13% Somewhat bad; 3% Very bad

WHITES AND HISPANICS: 11% Very good; 75% Somewhat good; 12% Somewhat bad; 2% Very bad

BLACKS AND HISPANICS: 10% Very good; 57% Somewhat good; 16% Somewhat bad; 3% Very bad

Do you feel that racial minorities in this country have equal job opportunities as whites, or not?

27% Yes; 61% No; 12% No opinion

Does the fact that Barack Obama is black make you much more likely to vote for him for president, somewhat more likely, does it make no difference, does it make you somewhat less likely, or much less likely to vote for him?

7% Much more; 9% Somewhat more; 82% Makes no difference; 1% Somewhat less; 3% Much less

How important would you say religion is in your own life?

52% Very important; 33% Fairly important; 15% Not very important

Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings?

44% Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process

12% Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process

28% God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so

16% Other/no opinion

Which of the following statements comes closest to describing your views about the Bible?

32% The Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word

39% The Bible is the inspired word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally

17% The Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man

12% Other/no opinion

QUESTIONS ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS

Are you …?

59% Female; 41% Male

Are you …?

10% <18     16% 18-30     49% 31-54     24% 55>

Where do you live?

12% Moline/E. Moline; 18% Rock Island; 45% Davenport; 11% Bettendorf; 6% Within 25 miles of QC; 8% Elsewhere

How many people live in your household?

18% 1     39% 2     32% 3-4     12% 5>

Is your annual household income …?

19% <$15,000     19% $15-30,000     23% $30-50,000     40% $50,000>

Regarding education, do you have …?

8% Some high school; 13% High school diploma; 26% Some college; 37% College degree; 16% Graduate degree

Do you regard yourself as a …?

59% Democrat; 9% Republican; 27% Independent; 5% Other

Do you consider your race to be …?

56% White; 3% Hispanic; 33% Black; 1% Asian; 8% Other

Do you consider yourself a …?

76% Christian     2% Jew     0% Muslim    0% Hindu     0% Buddhist     4% Agnostic     2% Atheist     16% Other