Publication date: September 22nd, 2023
Written by: Travis N. Taylor PHD
The Center for Excellence in Polling recently surveyed a statewide sample of likely voters in Idaho on a range of issues facing their state. Likely voters in Idaho display strong support for reforms to keep elections secure, ensure welfare benefits go to the truly needy, help unemployment benefits ultimately lead to jobs, and improve transparency in health care.
Keep Idaho elections secure
Likely voters in Idaho strongly support the creation of a special unit that investigates election law violations (69%). This includes more Democrats (61%) than Independents (56%) and has majority support regardless of party affiliation. Seventy percent of likely voters want those collecting signatures for ballot initiatives to be registered to vote in Idaho. Further, three-quarters of likely voters also support requiring local school board elections to appear on the same ballot as races for statewide or federal offices, rather than held off cycle when turnout is low. Significant majorities of Republicans (83%), Democrats (67%), and Independents (69%) are united in their support for this reform.
Ensure welfare benefits go to the truly needy
Likely voters in Idaho strongly support several reforms that would ensure that welfare benefits are reserved for the truly needy.
85%
of likely voters support checking eligibility for people applying for welfare to ensure those applying for benefits are truly eligible.
79%
support checking eligibility for people on welfare more frequently and with better technology to help ensure those receiving benefits are still eligible.
63%
oppose the government sending regular cash payments to every person without requiring them to work, a scheme often referred to as universal basic income.
Make sure the unemployment program leads to jobs
Idaho voters support reforms like indexing the unemployment insurance benefit duration to the unemployment rate to help claimants find new jobs in the workforce more quickly. More than two-thirds of likely voters support reducing the length of time individuals can remain on unemployment when unemployment is low and there are plenty of jobs available (67%). And nearly three-quarters support Idaho creating a mandatory job referral system that connects unemployed job seekers with businesses that are hiring (72%).
Transparency in health care
Another issue that many Idahoans agree on is hospital price transparency. More than 90 percent of likely voters support giving patients the ability to know what their real price and actual out-of-pocket costs will be at least 72 hours ahead of time for non-emergency care (92%).
Bottom line
Likely Idaho voters strongly support election, welfare, unemployment, and health care reforms, giving lawmakers a prime opportunity to enact policies that are favored by residents of the Gem State.