Voters Say Religion, Tolerance Are Important State Poll Also Finds Link Between Deteriorating Social Values And Crime
Fourth and last in a series
Washington state may have a reputation for low church attendance, but many voters say that religion plays a role in their daily lives and that they consider a candidate’s moral character when deciding how to vote.
The “Mood of Washington” survey of 556 state voters, conducted for The Associated Press and 12 newspapers around the state, also found deep concern about what voters see as a breakdown in social values. About 79 percent of the respondents said they see a direct link between deteriorating social values and crime problems.
Voters also show a penchant for tolerance, with most saying they support freedom of expression, even of unpopular or offensive ideas.
Majorities also said they think public schools should teach acceptance of homosexuals and bisexuals and people who hold different beliefs from themselves.
Although the Rev. Billy Graham and others have remarked on the relatively low church attendance in the region, two-thirds of the respondents said religion plays a daily role in their lives. Women, whites, older people and farmers are even more likely to give religion a central place.
“This is a very positive statistic, particularly for Washington,” said Dave Welch, state director of the Christian Coalition. “We’re not exactly known as the Bible Belt.”
Religious values are the underpinnings of society and help teach each new generation some core beliefs that will keep the state and nation from deteriorating, said a number of voters who were interviewed about the poll findings.
Voters also say they are studying the moral character of candidates as they decide how to cast ballots this fall. The poll showed that 68 percent of the voters call character an important consideration, and another 20 percent said it is at least a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “not important at all” and 5 being “very important.”
Asked in follow-up interviews what they look for in a candidate’s character, voters said they want an honest person, a straight-shooter who treats his or her family and colleagues well. Several said they’d want to know if the person were a drug or alcohol abuser or cheated on his or her spouse.
A yen for tolerance also came through.
About 75 percent said they support freedom of expression, even if it’s an offensive idea. Nearly 94 percent of voters said they think children in public schools should be taught acceptance of people who hold different beliefs, and 58 percent said acceptance of homosexuals and bisexuals should be taught.
The telephone survey was conducted over four days last month by students at Washington State University under the supervision of university researchers. It carries a margin of error of about 4.3 percentage points.
xxxx Additional findings Here are some additional findings from the “Mood of Washington” poll: Distrust: Nearly 42 percent of the poll respondents disagreed with the statement that state government can be trusted to side with the public interest if there is a conflict with special interests. And a majority of about 51 percent disagreed with the statement, “Voters usually make informed voting decisions.” State income tax: Only a third of the voters said they would support imposition of a state income tax even if other state taxes were cut. Cold buttons: Abortion rights, gay rights and gun control have been headline-grabbing hot-button issues in the past decade for both adherents and foes of each. But the poll showed that trio of social issues to be far down the list of voter concerns this year. Only 27 percent, for instance, said they consider gay rights to be an important issue in the race for governor. Property rights: About 49 percent of the respondents said they agree that public money should be used to pay people when the government restricts land use. Jobs and environment: More than 56 percent disagreed with the statement that state agencies do an acceptable job of balancing land use with environmental protection. A plurality of 48 percent disagreed with the statement that protecting the environment is more important than protecting jobs. Courts: About 53 percent said they think lenient court decisions are responsible for today’s crime problem. Race relations: A plurality of about 49 percent disagreed with a statement that race relations are worse than four years ago. About 33 percent agreed with the statement. -Associated Press