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Minnesota: Government and Politics

Political System
Trust In Government
Political Parties
Primary System
Third Parties
Federal Government
Initiatives and Referendums
State Legislative System
Corruption in Government (Minnesota)
Importance of Government Corruption to Vote Choice

Political System

American Political System Broken

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	August 1, 2006	53%	32%	15%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Some people say that America's political system is badly broken. Do you agree?"

Trust In Government

Trust the Government to Do What Is Right

Poll	Date	Just about always	Most of the time	Some of the time	Never	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Humphrey Institute / MPR¹	August 7-17, 2008	2%	26%	63%	8%	1%	763 LV	± 3.6
Humphrey Institute¹	October 21-26, 2004	6%	44%	44%	4%	2%	690 LV	± 4.0
Humphrey Institute¹	June 21 – July 12, 2004	4%	38%	54%	3%	2%	589 RV	± 4.0

1 "How much of the time do you think you can trust the government to do what's right - just about always, most of the time, only some of the time, or never?"

Political Parties

More Ethical Party in Congress

Poll	Date	Democrats	Republicans	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Humphrey Institute¹	October 23-28, 2006	41%	21%	37%	663 LV	± 3.8

1 "Generally speaking, do you think Democrats in Congress are more ethical than Republicans or Republicans in Congress are more ethical than Democrats?"

Most Responsible Political Party in 2004 Legislative Session

Poll	Date	Republican	DFL	Neither	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Pioneer Press / MPR¹	May 24-26, 2004	26%	28%	33%	13%	625 RV	± 4.0

1 "In general, which political party do you feel acted more responsibly during the recently completed 2004 legislation session: The Democrat Farmer Labor Party or the Republican party?"

Primary System

Support for Super Delegates System in Democratic Party

Poll	Date	Good	Bad	No opinion	Sample	MoE
SurveyUSA¹	February 15-17, 2008	17%	65%	18%	290 RV	± 5.6

1 "The Democratic Party has delegates and super delegates. Is the idea of having super delegates good or bad?" Asked of registered voters who pay a lot of attention to politics.

Independence of Super Delegate Vote

Poll	Date	Free to vote for either	Bound by some criteria	No opinion	Sample	MoE
SurveyUSA¹	February 15-17, 2008	31%	57%	13%	290 RV	± 5.8

1 "Should super delegates be free to vote for whichever Democrat they wish? Or should super delegates be bound by some criteria when they cast their vote?"

Third Parties

Consider Voting for Independent or Third Party Candidate for President

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Humphrey Institute / MPR¹	August 7-17, 2008	77%	21%	3%	763 LV	± 3.6
Humphrey Institute¹	June 21 – July 12, 2004	68%	29%	3%	614 RV	± 4.0

1 "Would you consider voting for an independent or third party candidate for president - that is, a candidate who is neither Democratic nor Republican?"

Federal Government

Federal Government Represents the Will of the People

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	June 11, 2008	14%	70%	16%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Generally speaking, does the federal government represent the will of the people?"

Federal Government Is Its Own Special Interest Group

Poll	Date	Yes	No	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	June 11, 2008	66%	15%	19%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Some people believe that the federal government has become a special interest group that looks out primarily for its own interests. What do you think? Has the federal government become a special interest group"

Initiatives and Referendums

Constitutional Amendment Allowing Initiatives and Referendums

Poll	Date	Support	Oppose	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Pioneer Press / MPR¹	May 24-26, 2004	60%	27%	13%	625 RV	± 4.0

1 "Do you support or oppose amending the Minnesota state constitution to allow initiative and referendum, which would permit citizens to petition proposed chances to state law onto the election ballot for the voters to decide?"

State Legislative System

Unicameral Legislative System

Poll	Date	Favor	Oppose	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Pioneer Press / MPR¹	July 2-5, 2001	37%	46%	17%	625 RV	± 4.0
Pioneer Press / MPR¹	February 25-28, 2000	35%	42%	23%	641 RV	± 4.0

1 "Would you favor or oppose having Minnesota change the way its Legislature is organized, so that it had only one house of elected representatives instead of two houses?"

Corruption in Government (Minnesota)

Corruption in Minnesota Government Compared to Other States

Poll	Date	More corrupt	Less corrupt	About the same	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	November 1, 2006	6%	36%	52%	5%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "Is Minnesota politics more corrupt that most states, less corrupt, or about as corrupt as most states?"

Importance of Government Corruption to Vote Choice

Poll	Date	Very	Somewhat	Not very	Not at all	No opinion	Sample	MoE
Rasmussen¹	November 1, 2006	59%	31%	8%	1%	2%	500 LV	± 4.5

1 "In terms of how you will vote next week, how important is the issue of government corruption and ethics?"