March 10, 2006
National poll survey results
     Conducted Feb. 19 through March 4, 2006 by WSU graduate research assistant David Cuillier, and sponsored by AccessNorthwest within the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication at Washington State University through a $5,000 grant by the Knight Foundation and National Freedom of Information Coalition.
    The telephone survey of 403 randomly selected adults from throughout the country. The margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent. Six call attempts were made for each number. The cooperation rate (AAPOR 4) was 26 percent. People were called by trained undergraduate surveyors and results analyzed in SPSS.
     Respondents were asked to provide an answer on a scale from 0 to 10 with 0 meaning strongly disagree and 10 meaning strongly agree. This method allows for better statistical analysis for examining factors related to attitudes toward access. For the purposes of summarizing overall attitudes, the results were collapsed into three categories: Agree (0-4), Neutral (5), and Disagree (6-10), and reported below, along with the 0-10 mean.
     The questions focused on the press' rights to access public records instead of citizens' rights because previous research has found that citizens more strongly support their own access to the point of providing little variance in answers. Also, many debates regarding access to public records involve whether others, such as the press or marketing companies, should have access. Therefore, understanding how citizens think about others' access to records is valuable. Despite the questions focusing on the press' rights, public support was still relatively high.
     Results from similar questions from the 2002 poll of Washington state residents are included for some items below as comparison. Note that the samples are different (Washington residents in 2002 and U.S. residents in 2006), and that the question wording is different in a few items.

Democracy requires that government operates openly.
    Agree      81%
    Neutral    11%
    Disagree   8%

Open public records and meetings keep government officials honest.
    Agree      69%
    Neutral    11%
    Disagree  20%

It is OK for the government to keep records secret if it deems necessary.
    Agree      63%
    Neutral    19%
    Disagree  18%

The President should make some public records secret if it might help in the war on terrorism.
    Agree      73%
    Neutral    12%
    Disagree  15%

For the following types of government records, please indicate whether you think the press should be allowed access to them or not.

Government records detailing dangerous traffic intersections.
    Agree      95%       2002 study:   Agree         61%
    Neutral      3%                           Neutral         2%
    Disagree    2%                           Disagree    37%

Police reports of crimes committed in your community.
    Agree      95%       2002 study:   Agree        76%
    Neutral      2%                           Neutral        3%
    Disagree   3%                           Disagree     21%

The names and addresses of registered sex offenders.
    Agree      88%
    Neutral      4%
    Disagree    8%

Records of local government officials' expense accounts.
    Agree      87%
    Neutral      7%
    Disagree   6%

Government records detailing problems with medical physicians.
    Agree      85%
    Neutral      7%
    Disagree   8%

Government records that identify the type, amount and location of hazardous chemicals.
    Agree      79%
    Neutral      7%
    Disagree  14%

The annual salaries of public employees.
    Agree      73%
    Neutral    10%
    Disagree  17%

Records detailing someone’s criminal past.
    Agree      66%
    Neutral    16%
    Disagree  18%

Government records explaining vulnerabilities of dams.
    Agree      64%
    Neutral    13%
    Disagree  23%

Public utility records, which could include how much water people use for their lawns and irrigation.
    Agree      56%          2002 study:       Agree      32%
    Neutral    20%                                  Neutral       1%
    Disagree  24%                                  Disagree   67%

Local government officials' work email.
    Agree      53%
    Neutral    19%
    Disagree  28%

Property tax records, including the value of a person’s home and how much was paid in property taxes.
    Agree      52%        2002 study:     Agree       64%
    Neutral    15%                               Neutral       3%
    Disagree  33%                              Disagree   33%

Drivers license records, which include a person’s name, address, height and weight.
    Agree      23%        2002 study:     Agree       26%
    Neutral    14%                              Neutral       2%
    Disagree  63%                             Disagree    72%

Divorce court files, which may include family assets and allegations between spouses.
    Agree      19%
    Neutral    18%
    Disagree  63%

I am concerned about my privacy being invaded.
    Agree      67%
    Neutral    13%
    Disagree  20%

I am concerned about the amount of information about me in databases held by marketing companies.
    Agree      76%          2002 study:      Agree       80%
    Neutral    10%                                 Neutral        1%
    Disagree  14%                                 Disagree   19%

I am concerned about the amount of personal information about me on the Internet.
    Agree      68%           2002 study:      Agree       73%
    Neutral      8%                                  Neutral       5%
    Disagree  24%                                  Disagree   22%