Third-Annual Citizen's Poll Show A Majority of Voters
Believe State in a Recession

Analysis by Floyd Ciruli
October 6, 2008

The Economy Is New Top Issue

In the Third-Annual Citizen’s Poll on economic development conducted by Ciruli Associates, a majority of Colorado voters (52%) believe the state is in a recession.  Only 48 percent believe the state is moving in the right direction, down from 63 percent in last year’s survey. 

After two years with immigration the top issue for the governor and legislature to address, citizens say the economy is now number one.  Immigration dropped to fifth position, and gas and oil issues appear for the first time – ranked in second place.

Top Issues for Governor and Legislature to Address
2008		2007		2006
Economy	29%	Immigration	26%	Immigration	28%
Gas and oil issue	10%	Health care	15%	Education (K-12	20%
Health care	9%	Education (K-12)	11%	Economy	11%
Education (K-12)	7%	Transportation	7%	Health care	8%
Illegal immigration	7%	Economy	6%	Transportation	6%
Ciruli Associates, N501, 2008

Question: What is the top issue you want the governor and state legislature to address?  [Multiple answers]

The Third-Annual Citizen’s Poll of 501 registered voters, conducted Sept. 19-23, 2008, was sponsored by the Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC), a statewide consortium of local and regional economic development professionals.  The statewide survey was conducted by Ciruli Associates with 501 randomly selected Colorado voters.  The statistical range of error is ±4.4 percentage points.

Economic Development

Ninety percent of Colorado voters support Colorado having programs to attract and support new businesses and create new primary jobs (primary jobs are jobs that produce something sold outside the community that brings money into the community).

Attracting primary jobs has been Colorado voters’ priority since the Citizen’s Poll began in 2006, but due to the economic crisis, support jumped 9 percentage points this year from last.

 Ciruli Associates, N501, 2008

Question: Let me ask you about how much effort the State of Colorado should put into attracting primary jobs.  Do you believe the State economic development programs should be a very high priority, high priority, not very high priority or not a priority at all?

And the most popular program is the new energy economy.  More than ninety percent (94%) of Colorado voters agree “the State of Colorado should promote the new energy economy that provides jobs in renewable energy, such as wind and solar power and biofuels.”

Economic Development

The 501 respondents of the telephone survey were selected from a random sample of Colorado registered voters who regularly vote in presidential-year elections.  Voters were then screened to determine their likelihood to vote.  This is the third-annual survey for the EDCC on economic development and government issues.  Statistical range of accuracy in 19 out of 20 cases is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points for a sample size of 501 – meaning that 95 percent of the time if all voters with telephones in Colorado had been surveyed, the findings would differ from the survey results by no more than plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.  Survey results can be affected by other factors, such as question wording and order. 

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Ciruli Associates is an independent, non-partisan research firm providing polling, election analysis and political commentary to Colorado and national media organizations since 1976.