by OnSight | Sep 2023 | Polling
Support for protecting abortion rights remains strong in Colorado’s largest-ever nonpartisan survey of Latino voters
DENVER — Economic struggles continue to dominate the list of concerns for Latino voters in Colorado, who rank addressing inflation and the rising cost of living as their top policy priorities in the third annual Colorado Latino Policy Agenda released today. Low wages, healthcare costs, and the affordable housing crisis also rank among the top concerns as rising prices continue to outpace wages throughout Colorado’s Latino community.
The Colorado Latino Policy Agenda (CLPA) is an annual, nonpartisan report that provides insight for elected officials, community leaders, media, and others interested in the demographic makeup and views of Latinos in Colorado on pressing policy, political, and other relevant issues in the state.
Among the key findings this year:
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A third (33%) of Latinos said their financial situation has grown more dire in 2023, while another third (34%) say their situation has not changed since 2022 when half of Colorado’s Latino community reported that their financial situation had gotten worse.
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More than a third (34%) of Latinos in Colorado say they “cannot afford” or “can barely afford” where they live, prompting “homelessness” to emerge as the third-ranked priority for state officials to address.
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Latino support for protecting abortion rights in Colorado remains strong, cited as a top-five priority (18%) for federal officials to address and serving as motivation to vote for more than half (52%) of Latinos polled.
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Addressing gun violence and mass shootings also remains a top-five priority for Latinos in Colorado, with an alarming 81% of respondents saying they are concerned about the prospect of a mass shooting that targets the Latino/immigrant community.
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As for measures on the ballot this fall, strong majorities support Proposition HH to reduce property taxes (78%) and Proposition II to fund preschool programs (75%).
DOWNLOAD THE FULL 2023 COLORADO LATINO POLICY AGENDA
Launched in 2021, the Colorado Latino Agenda (CLA) is a statewide public research initiative co-led by Voces Unidas and the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR). Now in its third year, the 2023 CLPA report is informed by a statewide poll of 1,600 Latino registered voters, providing a representative, nonpartisan snapshot of views of the second-largest and second-fastest-growing ethnic voting bloc in the state.
“After three years of research it is clear that the challenges facing Latinos when it comes to jobs, housing, and the economy are severe and in need of significant action from officials at the local, state, and federal levels,” said Alex Sánchez, President and CEO of Voces Unidas. “With fresh data revealing new priorities for Latinos, this year’s report also allows us to expand on our research base from 2021 and 2022 as we work with elected officials and community leaders to recommend and explore solutions for the future. We hope they will take it to heart and consider the diverse needs, priorities, and growing voice of the Latino community statewide.”
Polling for the 2023 CLPA was conducted online and over the phone, in both English and Spanish. BSP Research, a national firm with 20-plus years of helping community-based organizations research a diversifying United States, fielded the poll from July 1 – July 27. The margin of error was ±2.4%. The poll was designed to oversample in rural areas to provide the opportunity to compare results across four main geographical regions of the state and congressional districts, when possible.
“As the largest poll of Latino registered voters in the state, the Colorado Latino Policy Agenda provides a robust annual data set offering valuable perspectives on both national and local issues intended to inform policymakers at all levels of government about the needs and priorities of the state’s substantial Latino population in the year ahead,” said Dr. Gabriel Sanchez, who led the poll for BSP Research. “Measured alongside our work from previous years, the 2023 survey provides an opportunity to reinforce the economic vulnerability of many Latino residents of Colorado. Unfortunately, even as the economy is beginning to show signs of improvement, a sizable portion of the Latino community still faces tremendous economic challenges.”
Latinos in Colorado continue to struggle financially and rank economic concerns among four of the top six most important issues for state and federal elected officials to prioritize in 2023. Addressing inflation topped the list of both state (40%) and federal (38%) priorities, followed by improving wages and income (32% federal, 30% state) as the cost of living continues to outpace income levels of the community, particularly when it comes to healthcare (No. 4) and housing (No. 6) as Colorado’s population growth continues to surpass national averages.
“Addressing affordable and sustainable housing” polled slightly higher as a priority for state policymakers than federal, with 19% of Latino voters identifying it as a top priority, reinforced by overwhelming bipartisan support (70+%) for every policy intervention included in the survey aimed at reducing housing costs and making housing more accessible. A robust 85% of Latino registered voters agree that “cities and towns should be required to build more affordable housing near jobs, schools, and public services,” while 78% of respondents agree with the statement that “politicians talk about creating more affordable housing, but I have not seen any real change in access to affordable housing where I live.”
Addressing gun violence (22%) is also a recurring priority for Latino voters in 2023, ranking as the third-most important issue for elected officials to address at the federal level (up from No. 4 in 2022). While the percentage was slightly lower at the state level (20%) this year, gun violence remained among the top five most important issues facing the Latino community at both the federal and state levels, even as homelessness (25%) emerged as the third-most important issue for state officials to address.
Latino voters in Colorado continue to rank protection of immigrant rights as a top policy priority for federal officials, as Latino registered voters consider it one of the 10 most important issues for Congress and the President to address for a second consecutive year.
Poll respondents overwhelmingly support humane and common-sense-minded immigration policy reforms, including 80% support for the federal government doing more to support undocumented immigrants “who have lived, worked and paid their taxes in the U.S. most of their lives.” If Congress refuses to take action, 70% of respondents agreed that President Biden should pass an executive order providing legal permits that allow undocumented immigrants to live and work in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
While a majority (53%) of Latino voters believe Colorado is currently headed in the right direction, even more (57%) believe the nation is on the wrong track, likely due to the prevailing polarized political climate underscored by unprecedented political violence and misinformation surrounding the fairness of our election systems. The atmosphere is generating concern and fear among Latino voters as we approach the 2024 election, including 81% of Latino registered voters expressing concern about the prospect of a mass shooting that targets the Latino/immigrant community. Similarly high percentages are concerned about political unrest and violence, including violent protests spurred by politicians, candidates, and supporters who refuse to accept election results when they lose.
More than half (52%) of Latinos polled say the laws that have been passed around the nation to limit or ban abortion make them more likely to vote in 2023. Additionally, a solid majority (62%) in this year’s poll report that they would support a hypothetical future ballot initiative making abortion rights stronger in Colorado by allowing state-funded insurance programs to cover abortion costs.
“The 2023 CLPA reinforces what we already know – that our community values the freedom to make their own decisions and is even more motivated to protect and expand abortion access in Colorado through the ballot box as access diminishes in other states,” said Dusti Gurule, President and CEO of COLOR. “Considering the economic inequities for Latinos in Colorado, there is a strong case for expanding state-funded insurance programs to cover abortion care. Being able to lead safe, healthy, and self-determined lives is imperative for our community across Colorado.”
Beyond reproductive health, this year’s survey provides a better understanding of how Latinos in Colorado use healthcare and the challenges that they face accessing the broader healthcare they need. Nearly half (46%) of those polled say they have avoided medical care or been forced to cut corners due to the cost, further emphasizing the need for cost reduction as a top priority for 20% of Latino voters. What’s more, just over 1-in-4 (26%) say they have faced discrimination or unfair treatment when seeking healthcare, causing an additional 10% of Latinos polled to avoid necessary healthcare because of a prior experience with discrimination at a hospital, clinic or other medical facility.
With numerous district school board elections on the horizon in 2023, education policy is also on the minds of Latino voters, as some 77% of voters expressed concern about the quality of education in the state and 73% reported concerns that there is “little effort by school leaders to involve parents in their children’s education.” A lack of diversity in school staff and school boards that do not reflect the diversity of the students is also a major concern for Latino parents, as it further distances them from the decision-making process in spite of their desire to be more involved in their children’s education.
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About Voces Unidas: Voces Unidas de las Montañas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We focus on organizing and advocacy, policy and research, leadership, and voter engagement programs. Learn more at vocesunidas.org.
About COLOR: Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) is a community-rooted 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to enable Latinx individuals and their families to lead safe, healthy, and self-determined lives. Learn more at colorlatina.org.
by OnSight | Sep 2023 | Polling
Voters say top issues for Denver schools are student safety and recruiting and retaining good teachers; nearly 90% undecided on At-Large school board race
DENVER — The Colorado Polling Institute (CPI) released the second part of its inaugural Denver public opinion survey, publishing polling data on voter attitudes about issues in Denver Public Schools (DPS).
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of voters support the policy of sending School Resource Officers (SROs) back into schools, with majority support across all political parties.
Other notable findings in the public opinion survey:
- The DPS School Board is deeply unpopular, with 22% of Denver voters having a favorable opinion to 55% of voters with an unfavorable opinion of the current school board. Among parents of school-aged children, the board’s unfavorable opinion rises to 66%;
- DPS parents are considerably more upbeat about education quality than non-parents: 50% of DPS parents give ratings of ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ while 48% say ‘fair’ or ‘poor.’ In contrast, non-parents give ratings of 21% excellent/good and 46% saying fair/poor (33% of non-parents are undecided);
- a slim majority (51%) think children are safe while attending Denver Public Schools while 38% think they are not safe. Among parents, however, 51% say schools are not safe, and;
- the At-Large school board race is wide open with John Youngquist at 4.8%, Ulcca Hansen at 4.5%, Kwame Spearman at 2.3% and Paul Ballenger at 1.2%. With a margin of error of +/-4.72% that means no candidate statistically has any support. (Note: The poll was conducted before Ulcca Joshi Hansen dropped out of the race.)
The poll was conducted by the bipartisan polling team of GOP pollster Cygnal and Democratic pollster Aspect Strategic from August 17-18 utilizing a 2024 likely voter model with a margin of error of +/-4.72%. The question about the At-Large school board race was done using a 2023 likely voter model to accurately represent the state of that race, allowing responses from only those likely to participate in the 2023 election.
When it comes to the upcoming school board campaign, voters say the two issues they most want candidates to address are student safety (49%) and recruiting and retaining good teachers (49%). Addressing student mental health was among the top two issues for 34% of voters, while academic achievement was a top two issue for 32%.
“Voters want to hear candidates talk about how they will keep kids safe in school, but also how they will ensure we have great teachers in the classroom,” said Democratic pollster Kevin Ingham of Aspect Strategic. “The school board race this fall is wide open — meaning candidates will have to work hard to distinguish themselves and address those issues.”
The upcoming school board election is wide open, as 87% of voters are undecided on the At-Large race, with all declared candidates polling at or below the survey’s margin of error.
“Voters of all stripes support putting sworn law enforcement officers back into schools, but this election is not just about student safety,” said Republican pollster Brent Buchanan. “Voters want to hear from candidates about how they’ll support teachers, student mental health, and academic achievement as well – because they aren’t happy with how things are going with the schools”
CPI is a newly launched nonprofit whose mission is to elevate the public dialogue and promote informed decision-making through timely, trustworthy, and nonpartisan public opinion research on the most important issues facing Coloradans.
Note: Download toplines and crosstabs are attached. Additional analysis can be found online at: copollinginstitute.org
by OnSight | Aug 2023 | Polling
Voters identify homelessness, housing affordability as top issues for city to address; more than 6-in-10 feel ‘safe’ and support ‘sweeps’ or ‘cleanups’ of homeless encampments
DENVER — Voters are divided on whether the Mile High City is on the right track or headed in the wrong direction and identify homelessness and housing affordability as the top two issues for the city government to address, according to a Colorado Polling Institute survey of likely 2024 voters released today.
Among the notable findings:
- More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents say they feel safe in Denver;
- there is strong support (65%) for city “cleanups” or “sweeps” of homeless encampments that pose a health and safety risk;
newly elected Mayor Mike Johnston’s homeless plans are well-received (34% approve vs. 20% disapprove), but a plurality (41%) haven’t formed opinions;
- the cost of housing places “some” or “significant” financial strain on two-thirds (65%) of respondents, including nearly 9-in-10 (88%) of renters and;
- voters are generally pessimistic (45%) rather than optimistic (30%) about the progress being made on downtown Denver’s recovery;
“It is noteworthy that voters’ top concerns revolve around the city’s housing challenges. The mayor made homelessness a central issue in his campaign, and voters clearly support that priority,” said Democratic pollster Kevin Ingham of Aspect Strategic. “Yet, many are feeling burdened by their own housing costs and these results indicate they want the city to approach the housing issue with a wide angle lens.”
The poll of 414 likely 2024 Denver general election voters was conducted for the Colorado Polling Institute Aug. 17-18 by the bipartisan polling team of Cygnal and Aspect Strategic via a multi-mode mix of live calls and text-to-web responses. It has a margin of error of ± 4.72%.
The poll found voters divided on the direction of the city, with 44% saying it’s headed in the right direction and 44% saying it’s on the wrong track.
Addressing homelessness is a clear priority for most voters. In fact, it is the top priority across most groups, with the exception of those aged 18-29, who prioritize housing affordability and the cost of living.
“As we saw in polling during the mayoral election earlier this year, Denverites are strongly in favor of forcefully addressing the homelessness issue,“ stated Republican pollster Brent Buchanan of Cygnal. “The fact that homelessness is still the top issue by far could be the reason voters are pessimistic about the progress being made on downtown Denver’s recovery.”
In addition to homelessness (51%) and housing affordability (41%), voters identify crime and public safety (34%) and the cost of living (32%) as other top issues for the city to address.
Johnston, who took office in July on a promise to end homelessness in his first term, has a positive image among likely 2024 general election voters (46% favorable vs. 22% unfavorable for a +24 favorable rating), though nearly a third say they have no opinion (28%). or had never heard of him (3.5%).
Despite concerns over housing affordability and the financial burden of housing in Denver, half of voters think the city’s policies should prioritize listening to the concerns of residents even if that means new housing sometimes doesn’t get built as opposed to building new housing in all neighborhoods over objections from current residents (37%). Put another way, there is not overall opposition to what are typically framed as “Not in my backyard,” or NIMBY, arguments.
And even those who are most housing-burdened don’t necessarily make the link between housing costs and supply. Among those who say housing costs are a “significant” source of financial strain, 52% prioritize listening to concerns vs. 36% who say building more housing. Similarly, those who say “housing affordability” is a top issue for the city are evenly divided on this question (42% listen to concerns; 43% build more housing).
A slight majority have a favorable view of the Denver Police Department (51% favorable vs. 43% unfavorable). And, while two-thirds (68%) say they feel safe in Denver, the feeling is soft, as a majority (50%) say “somewhat safe” compared to “very safe” (18%).
The poll also looked at two election-related issues that have been in the news and could come before Denver City Council in the weeks ahead.
Nearly two-thirds of voters (63%) support limiting elected officeholders — including mayor, auditor, clerk and recorder, and city council — to no more than two consecutive four-year terms, including 41% who strongly support the idea. Officials can currently serve up to three consecutive terms.
And, by a 2-to-1 margin (48% to 24%), voters said they would support instituting ranked-choice voting for municipal elections.
CPI is a newly launched nonprofit whose mission is to elevate the public dialogue and promote informed decision-making through timely, trustworthy, and nonpartisan public opinion research on the most important issues facing Coloradans.
“Our mission is to provide relevant, actionable, nonpartisan public opinion research on issues in Denver and across the state we love,” said founder David Carlson. “We’ll be relentlessly transparent with our findings and dedicated to high-quality research. We’re proud of the talented team of pollsters and advisors from across the political spectrum we’ve brought together to achieve that goal.”
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Note: Download toplines and crosstabs. Additional analysis can be found online at: copollinginstitute.org
by OnSight | Nov 2021 | Polling
Annual report will highlight top policy, issue concerns among Latinos in Colorado
DENVER – Ensuring a living wage and safe working conditions and reforming immigration laws are among the top policy concerns of Latino voters and Latino leaders in Colorado, according to results of the first-ever Colorado Latino Policy Agenda released today.
The annual Colorado Latino Policy Agenda will provide ongoing insight each fall for elected officials, community leaders, media, and others into the demographic makeup and views of Latinos in Colorado on pressing political, policy, and other issues in the state.
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT
The report was led by the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Voces Unidas de las Montañas, Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, and Protégete of Conservation Colorado. Other partners include the Political Science Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver and BSP Research.
“The Colorado Latino Policy Agenda offers an opportunity for elected officials and community leaders to explore areas of agreement, work to meet the diverse needs of Latinos in the different regions of the state, and design and deliver appropriate and timely policy solutions for the state’s growing Latino population,” said Dusti Gurule, Executive Director of COLOR.
Intended for use by lawmakers and other officials in the year ahead and as a baseline for future efforts, the 2021 Colorado Latino Policy Agenda was informed by three research tools:
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A statewide poll of 1,000 Latino adults was conducted via phone and online from August 16 – September 1, 2021;
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Responses from 168 Latino community leaders in an online survey this fall; and
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In-person listening sessions were held in Greeley, Glenwood Springs, and Pueblo.
“This research provides unprecedented insight into the issues that are important to Latino voters and Latino community members —whether they’re from the Western Slope, the Denver-metro area or other communities east of the Continental Divide,” said Alex Sánchez, Executive Director of Voces Unidas. “While there are issues that unite us — we also see examples of issues with different intensity at the local level.”
Other top issues from the statewide poll of 1,000 Latino adults include improving wages and benefits for seasonal workers and taking aggressive steps to address drought and clean water access. Among Latino leaders, top issues included increasing access to mental health services and decreasing the cost of college tuition.
Generally, respondents to both the statewide poll and the Latino leaders survey support public policies that expand access to services and resources to a wider segment of the state’s population. This includes high support for expanding access to health insurance for Colorado residents, ensuring access to safe abortion and reproductive health, and ensuring all state residents have access to high-speed internet.
Latino residents and community leaders are also very concerned with climate change and strongly support policies that will transition the state toward clean energy production. There is similarly high support for providing information and resources to ensure that Latinos and other disproportionately impacted communities are included in decisions made to address climate change and to promote environmental justice.
“Latinos across the state are growing political power and it’s essential that policymakers listen to our community priority issues and craft solutions that reflect our needs and bring our voices to the decision-making table,” said Beatriz Soto, Director of Protégete for Conservation Colorado.
As highlighted in a separate release in October, the research makes clear that COVID-19 has devastated Colorado’s Latino community. Nearly half of all respondents to the statewide poll of Latino adults and the survey of 168 Latino leaders across the state reported that they lost a friend or family to COVID-19. The survey research also provides insights regarding the economic challenges that the Latino community in the state has faced and continues to face during the pandemic.
“Policymakers should look to the Colorado Latino Policy Agenda’s findings and work to more directly engage the Latino community in policy decisions,” said Rob Preuhs, Chair of the Political Science Department at MSU Denver. “The research shows that Latinos are highly interested in being more engaged in the political process but often feel that the voice of the Latino community is excluded from important political decisions.”
During the listening sessions held this summer and fall in Greeley, Glenwood Springs, and Pueblo, it was clear that issues pertaining to undocumented immigrants exist across communities. Participants in Glenwood Springs and Pueblo also identified education issues among their top selections, while environmental issues were among the top selections in Pueblo and Greeley.
“This research is the first of its kind — never before in Colorado have we received such nuanced data about the needs and priorities of the Latino community. This data will not only inform our Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus policy priorities as we look ahead to addressing systemic inequities in the next legislative session — but we expect our colleagues at the Capitol, and decision-makers at all levels of government to consider the needs, priorities, and growing political power of Latino communities across Colorado,” said Sen. Robert Rodriguez, Co-Chair of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, a nonprofit organization.
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by OnSight | Oct 2021 | Polling
Sixty percent of respondents in Latino survey had hours, pay cut or had someone in household lose job during pandemic; 56% had difficulty paying bills or utilities
DENVER – The COVID-19 pandemic took a significant toll on the economic well-being of Latino families across Colorado who are now looking to elected officials to bolster opportunities for jobs and affordable housing and to address escalating cost-of-living, among other issues, according to results of a statewide survey of 1,000 Latino adults.
Key findings on how the pandemic impacted Latino families include:
- 60% had their work hours or pay cut, or had someone in their household lose their job;
- 56% had difficulty paying their bills or utilities;
- 50% had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage;
- 33% have not had enough food to eat.
“It is almost impossible to overstate the pandemic’s impact on the Latino community in Colorado,” said Alex Sánchez, executive director of Voces Unidas de las Montañas. “When it comes to basic economic indicators like having the money to pay bills in order to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table, the survey provides a sobering glimpse at how hard the economic recession caused by the pandemic has been for the state’s largest ethnic minority.”
Added Dusti Gurule, executive director of Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR): “Latinos across the state were faced with difficult and sometimes dire decisions during the pandemic. Now, they are looking to officials at the state and federal levels to deliver policies to improve the outlook for jobs and the economy as well as to address costs associated with necessities like housing, health care, and internet access.”
The poll of 1,000 Latino adults in Colorado was conducted Aug. 16-31 by BSP Research on behalf of the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), with additional funding from the Political Science Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver, the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, Voces Unidas de las Montañas, and Protégete of Conservation Colorado. Complete results will be released next month as part of the organizations’ plans to research and highlight the issues facing Colorado’s Latino community.
Other findings from today’s release include: Latinos on the Western Slope were more likely to not have enough food to eat (40%) and have difficulties paying for their rent or mortgage (64%) than those in other areas of the state. Latinos who live in the Denver metro area were the most likely to have had their work hours cut or reduced (64%).
Latinos also made tough decisions in order to manage household finances during the pandemic. This includes nearly 34% who used up all or most of their savings to pay for their expenses; 19% who had to skip a monthly car, rent, or mortgage payment; and 20% who postponed or cut back on health-related expenses. The pandemic had a significant impact on housing stability, with 14% of respondents reporting they moved or changed their housing situation as a result.
An alarming 42% of Colorado’s Latino population had $1,000 or less in savings for financial emergencies — and a stunning 20% had $100 or less in savings. Furthermore, only 37% of Latinos in Colorado are “very confident” that they can pay for basic living expenses, such as food, housing, and utilities.
One of the more troubling findings from the survey is that 11% of Latino residents in the state have turned to pay-day or easy loan companies that charge high interest rates. The use of pay-day or easy loan companies is particularly high on the Western Slope, where nearly 1 in 5, (19%) said they had turned to this option.
Policy Priorities of the Latino Community in Colorado
Respondents were also asked to identify the most important policy issues the state and federal government should address. At the federal level, creating more jobs and addressing the economy were at the top of the list. The high salience on economic well-being to the Latino community is reinforced by “addressing affordable housing” and “the rising cost of living” emerging as key issues INAL for Latinos at the state and local level.
Small businesses were hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and Latinos are disproportionately likely to be employed by small businesses, which helps explain the high support (88%) to set up a state fund to help Latino-owned small businesses.
The rising cost of housing was already a major issue in the state prior to the pandemic, but increased in salience over the past two years. This resulted in nearly all (88%) Latinos in Colorado supporting new housing requirements that developers must include affordable housing.
The pandemic also made clear how vital access to high-speed internet is for all aspects of life, including working and educating our children. Latinos overwhelmingly support (86%) the state providing high-speed internet access to all Coloradoans. There is also a recognition that access to high-speed internet and other infrastructure must extend to residents of rural areas of the state. For example, 79% of the sample supports bolstering economic opportunities outside of the Front Range.
This report draws from a statewide survey of Latino adults across the state of Colorado during a critical period in the state’s history. The survey makes clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to the Latino community. This information should be of high value to the Legislature’s three newly-formed task forces on Economic Recovery and Relief, Affordable Housing, and Behavioral Health which will oversee the distribution of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to Coloradans. Additional issue priorities, policy preferences, and political values of the Latino community in Colorado will be included in the release of full survey results next month.
Download limited toplines
Survey Methodology: The survey of 1,000 total completed interviews with Latino adults in the state of Colorado resulted in an overall margin of error of +/- 3.1%. Survey respondents were randomly selected in a blended approach including web-based and telephone interviews (both landlines and cell phones) and was available in both English and Spanish at the respondent’s discretion. Respondents were recruited with up to 5 contacts to improve the representativeness of the sample. Data were compared to the best-known estimates of the U.S. Census Current Population Survey (CPS) for the demographic profiles of Colorado adults and post-stratification weights were applied to bring the data into direct balance with Census estimates. The poll was led by Dr. Gabriel Sanchez and Dr. Matt Barreto from BSP Research, LLC.
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by OnSight | May 2021 | Polling
Majorities approve of Gov. Polis’ handling of the pandemic, support a ban on the sale of assault weapons in Colorado
DENVER — Majorities of Coloradans are embracing COVID-19 vaccines and have favorable views of Gov. Jared Polis, according to the latest Keating–OnSight–Melanson (KOM) Colorado Poll™ released Monday.
Other notable findings:
- 6-of-10 voters approve of Polis’ handling of the pandemic (61% approve, 33% disapprove);
- and a majority support a ban on the sale of assault weapons in Colorado (57% support, 40% oppose).
This round of KOM polling has been released in two parts. Part one measured voter attitudes toward several federal officials and policies. Part two, which is being released today, measures voter attitudes on state issues — notably the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines.
Asked about their vaccine status, 63% of respondents said they had received at least one dose and 10% said they planned on being vaccinated, for a planned vaccine rate of 73%.
“The encouraging news as we enter year two of the pandemic is that we see strong support for vaccines across almost every demographic,” said pollster Chris Keating. “But there is clearly more work to do to improve rates among Republicans and in rural areas, where the number of people who have or plan to be vaccinated lags.”
Among Republicans, 56% have received or plan to receive a vaccine, and in the 53 rural counties, the figure is 64%.
A total of 15% of respondents said they don’t plan on being vaccinated. Allowed to pick from multiple reasons for not getting the vaccine, their top selections were that the threat of COVID-19 is overstated (50%), that they don’t think vaccines are safe (49%), and that the vaccine was developed too quickly (47%).
Another 12% said they are not sure whether they will receive the vaccine. Their top reasons for uncertainty: the vaccine was developed too quickly (63%), concern about short-term side effects (52%), and mistrust of the government to administer vaccines (23%).
“Keep in mind this is a likely-voter universe of adults and there is not yet a vaccine for those under age 16, so the percentage of Coloradans who aren’t — or won’t be — vaccinated is higher than our findings,” said Curtis Hubbard, of OnSight Public Affairs. “Among the things COVID-19 has taught us: it doesn’t care about political affiliations or where you live. Returning to something that resembles normal is going to require higher percentages of us to get vaccinated.”
Colorado voters feel good about Gov. Polis (58% favorable, 38% unfavorable) and give him high marks on the job he is doing on the coronavirus outbreak. A 2-to-1 majority (61%) approve of the job he is doing compared to one-third (33%) who disapprove.
“Gov. Polis has navigated the last 13 months quite well and Colorado voters have noticed,” said Mike Melanson, a Democratic strategist. “Balancing safety and the economic well-being of the state has not been an easy task, but he has largely succeeded.”
Finally, asked about a law that would ban the sale of assault weapons in Colorado, a 57% majority support it and 40% oppose it.
An assault-style weapon similar to an AR-15 was used to kill 10 people shopping at a Boulder, Colorado, King Soopers on March 22 of this year. In 2012, an assault weapon was used to kill 12 people watching a movie in Aurora, Colorado. Colorado women are more supportive of a ban on assault weapons (63% support to 34% oppose), while men are more divided on the issue (50% support to 48% oppose).
A ban on the sale of assault weapons in Colorado is overwhelmingly supported by Democrats (87% support), plus a majority of Unaffiliated voters (57% support) and among voters in the Colorado suburbs (57% support to 42% oppose). The ban on the sale of assault weapons is opposed by 3-of-4 Republicans (74% oppose).
Conducted regularly by Keating Research, OnSight Public Affairs, and Mike Melanson — the KOM Colorado Poll provides informative, accurate results using online surveys and was Colorado’s most accurate in the 2020 and 2016 Presidential elections and the 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial race.
For complete results, please see the memo, toplines, and crosstabs.
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The April KOM Colorado Poll™ was based on online interviews with 528 likely Colorado voters, April 20-26, 2021, and had a MOE of plus or minus 4.3%.
