RON THORNBURGH
Secretary of State

STATE OF KANSAS
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
(785) 296-4564
www.kssos.org

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Friday, September 21, 2001

Contact Information
Jesse Borjon, Communications Director
Office of the Secretary of State
(785) 296-4580
jesseb@kssos.org

STATE FAIR OPINION POLL RESULTS

The Kansas Secretary of State’s Office once again conducted an opinion poll at their booth during the 2001 Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Sept. 7-16. “The purpose of the poll is to promote the concept of voting; gage opinions on important issues and some of the questions are designed just to have a little fun,” said Brad Bryant, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Elections and Legislative Matters.


The 2000 opinion poll results include:


1. What did you do with your federal tax refund?
     Spend it 295
     Invested it 253
     Paid bills 358
     Gave to charity 17
     I didn’t receive a refund 296
  
2. Which of the following is the most important issue facing the United States?
     Education 292
     Health Care 286
     Economy 380
     Social Security Reform 177
     Environment 61
  
3. What is the best way to address our long-term energy needs?
     Build nuclear plants 120
     Increase production, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 168
     Increase foreign imports 10
     Conserve more 204
     Develop alternate energy sources 685
  
4. What is your favorite online Internet activity?
     Shopping 40
     Email 467
     Research 374
     None 323
  
5. Which is most likely to be true?
     Earth has been visited by space aliens 652
     The first moon walk was staged by the government 185
     Elvis is still alive 189


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