News9/Newson6 Poll: Oklahomans Concerned About Education

By News9/Newson6

On November 8, Oklahomans will consider State Question 779.

It asks voters to increase the state sales tax one cent to help pay for public education.

That includes pay raises for teachers and money to recruit more of them.

Our scientific survey shows 63 percent of likely voters strongly or somewhat support the tax, while 33 percent strongly or somewhat oppose it.

Only 4 percent are undecided or don't know.

The main goal of a dedicated statewide penny sales tax that would bring in more than $600 million dollars a year, which would equal out to $5,000 raises for every public school teacher in Oklahoma.

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[QUESTION] On the ballot will be state question 779 which asks voters for approval to increase state sales taxes by one cent per dollar to provide revenue for a public education fund, with the bulk of the revenue generated by that increase going toward a $5,000 across-the-board pay raise for public school teachers.  Do you: [PROBE: STRONGLY/SOMEWHAT]

1. Strongly support 42.1%
2. Somewhat support 21.2
3. Don't know/refused [DNR] 4.0
4. Somewhat oppose 13.7
5. Strongly oppose 19.0

Additional Take-aways from the poll results:

• Democrats are 8 points more likely to strongly support SQ779, but still 61% of Republicans favor increasing the state sales tax through SQ779.
• 77.4% of those who believe education is the most important issue support SQ779, 60.7% of social issue voters, and 54.7% of economic issue voters.
• 57% of conservatives support SQ779, and 74% of moderates.
• Interestingly, men are 8 points MORE likely to support SQ779, with 67.9% in favor of the state question.
• Support in the state is greatest in Tulsa's 1st congressional district with 76%.  Support is weakest in Oklahoma City's 6th congressional district at just half of the electorate at 50.1%.

About the Poll

SoonerPoll.com, Oklahoma’s public opinion pollster, conducted the poll of Oklahoma likely voters, which was commissioned by News9 and Newson6.

The scientific study was conducted October 6, 2016 with 403 likely Oklahoma voters selected at random statewide from a frame of landline telephone and conducted using IVR (Interactive Voice Response) technology. The sample was weighted by age and congressional district in order to reflect the Oklahoma likely voter population for a general election.

The sample reflects the traditional demographical profile of the Oklahoma likely voter with roughly half of respondents identifying as conservative and attending religious services once or more per week. The study has a Margin of Error (MoE) of ±4.88 percent.