VOTER OPINIONS

Survey of 1,128 U.S. Likely Voters

  • Voter Opinions

    1

    Have you ever visited Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

    35% Yes

    64% No

    2% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    2

    Would you like to visit Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

    [Answered by 735 respondents who haven't visited Yellowstone]

    68% Yes
    20% No
    12% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    3

    How important is the wildlife to those park visits? The main reason you visit, one of the two main reasons, important but not one of the top two reasons, or it is not an important reason to visit?

    [Answered by 890 respondents who have visited or want to visit Yellowstone]

    23% Main reason
    51% Top two
    23% Important but not top two
    3% Not important
    0% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    4

    Are you aware that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is unique in the Lower 48 States in still having all of its original large wildlife species, including grizzly bears, elk, bison, and wolves?

    63% Yes
    27% No
    10% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    5

    How important to you is it that large wildlife species continue to survive and flourish in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?

    70% Very important
    25% Somewhat important
    4% Not very important
    1% Not at all important
    1% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    6

    Are you aware that the vast majority of large mammals in the Yellowstone-Tetons Parks rely upon surrounding PRIVATE lands to survive during at least part of the year?

    45% Yes
    39% No
    16% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    7

    Does the United States have a responsibility to the rest of the world to preserve the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem or is preserving this ecosystem not a matter of global concern?

    70% Yes
    20% No
    10% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    8

    In recent decades, the population of the private lands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has increased by more than half. The nearly 200,000 additional residents contributed to the development of about 240 square miles of wildlife habitat and farmland. Are you very concerned, concerned, a bit concerned, or unconcerned about this trend?

    30% Very concerned
    44% Somewhat concerned
    17% Not very concerned
    6% Not at all concerned
    3% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    9

    The main source of national population growth is immigration from other countries. Should the federal government reduce annual immigration to slow down population growth, keep immigration and population growth at the current level, or increase annual immigration and population growth?

    57% Reduce
    28% Current level
    7% Increase
    8% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    10

    Currently the federal government adds about one million legal immigrants to the country each year. What annual level would you prefer:

    11% 2 million +
    9% 1.5 million
    23% 1 million
    20% 0.5 million
    25% 100k or less
    13% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    11

    Currently, in addition to the million legal immigrants each year, about 2.5 million inadmissible foreign citizens overstay a visa, avoid the border patrol, or are released into the country every year. In trying to control illegal immigration, should the government mandate that all employers use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs?

    75% Yes
    10% No
    15% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    12

    Do you feel an emotional or spiritual uplift from time spent in natural areas such as forests, wetlands, meadows, and mountains?

    74% Yes
    13% No
    13% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    13

    One way to accommodate continued population growth in Greater Yellowstone without losing as much natural habitat and farmland to development would be to increase population density by changing zoning and other regulations so more residents live in apartments, condos, and townhouses instead of single-family houses. Do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose this kind of change?

    20% Strongly favor
    32% Somewhat favor
    19% Somewhat oppose
    17% Strongly oppose
    12% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    14

    Zoning, urban growth boundaries, and limiting the number of new hook-ups to sewage treatment systems are examples of planning or “smart growth” tools for accommodating population growth while attempting to reduce new development and sprawl from spreading further into the surrounding countryside. Do you favor using such planning tools as a means of limiting sprawl?

    53% Yes
    17% No
    30% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    15

    Do you favor paying higher property taxes to accommodate new residents and residential development into your community?

    17% Yes
    70% No
    13% Not sure

Conducted July 28-29, 2024, by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence

CONDUCTED JULY 28-29, 2024, BY RASMUSSEN REPORTS AND NUMBERSUSA

Photography by Holly Pippel

Survey of 829 Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming Likely Voters

  • Voter Opinions

    1

    Have you ever visited Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

    83% Yes
    16% No
    1% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    2

    Would you like to visit Yellowstone or Grand Tetons National Parks?

    [Answered by the 138 respondents who had not visited Yellowstone]

    84% Yes
    14% No
    2% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    3

    How many times have you visited Yellowstone National Park?

    [Answered by the 691 respondents who have visited Yellowstone:

    18% Once
    53% 2 to 6 times
    13% 7 to 12 times
    16% More than 12 times
    1% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    4

    How often EACH YEAR do you tend to visit Yellowstone-Grand Tetons?

    [Answered by the 691 respondents who have visited Yellowstone]

    53% Never or less than once per year
    38% Once or twice
    4% 3 to 6 times
    1% 7 to 12 times
    1% More than 12 times
    3% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    5

    How important is the wildlife to those park visits? The main reason you visit, one of the two main reasons, important but not one of the top two reasons, or it is not an important reason to visit?

    [Answered by the 807 respondents who have visited or want to visit Yellowstone]

    26% Main reason
    53% Top two
    18% Important but not top two
    3% Not important
    1% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    6

    Are you aware that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is unique in the Lower 48 States in still having all of its original large wildlife species, including grizzly bears, elk, bison, and wolves?

    83% Yes
    13% No
    4% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    7

    How important to you is it that large wildlife species continue to survive and flourish in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?

    76% Very important
    19% Somewhat important
    3% Not very important
    1% Not at all important
    1% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    8

    Are you aware that the vast majority of large mammals in the Yellowstone-Tetons Parks rely upon surrounding PRIVATE lands to survive during at least part of the year?

    68% Yes
    23% No
    9% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    9

    In recent decades, the population of the private lands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has increased by more than half. The nearly 200,000 additional residents contributed to the development of about 240 square miles of wildlife habitat and farmland. Are you very concerned, concerned, a bit concerned, or unconcerned about this trend?

    36% Very concerned
    39% Somewhat concerned
    16% Not very concerned
    5% Not at all concerned
    4% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    10

    The main source of Greater Yellowstone’s population growth is people moving in from other states. Should local and state governments in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho make it more difficult for people to move to the region from other states by restricting development?

    68% Yes
    17% No
    16% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    11

    The main source of national population growth is immigration from other countries. Should the federal government reduce annual immigration to slow down population growth, keep immigration and population growth at the current level, or increase annual immigration and population growth?

    59% Reduce
    27% Current level
    7% Increase
    7% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    12

    Currently, in addition to the million legal immigrants each year, about 2.5 million inadmissible foreign citizens overstay a visa, avoid the border patrol, or are released into the country every year. In trying to control illegal immigration, should the government mandate that all employers use the federal electronic E-Verify system to help ensure that they hire only legal workers for U.S. jobs?

    77% Yes
    9% No
    14% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    13

    Does the United States have a responsibility to the rest of the world to preserve the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem or is preserving this ecosystem not a matter of global concern?

    76% Yes
    14% No
    10% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    14

    Do you feel an emotional or spiritual uplift from time spent in natural areas such as forests, wetlands, meadows, and mountains?

    86% Yes
    8% No
    6% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    15

    One way to accommodate continued population growth in Greater Yellowstone without losing as much natural habitat and farmland to development would be to increase population density by changing zoning and other regulations so more residents live in apartments.

    24% Strongly favor
    31% Somewhat favor
    20% Somewhat oppose
    16% Strongly oppose
    10% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    16

    Zoning, urban growth boundaries, and limiting the number of new hook-ups to sewage treatment systems are examples of planning or “smart growth” tools for accommodating population growth while attempting to reduce new development and sprawl from spreading further into the surrounding countryside. Do you favor using such planning tools as a means of limiting sprawl?

    64% Yes
    15% No
    21% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    17

    Do you favor paying higher property taxes to accommodate new residents and residential development into your community?

    20% Yes
    69% No
    11% Not sure

  • Voter Opinions

    18

    When considering why you live in this region, which of the following reasons is most important to you? Please listen to the entire list before responding.

    37% Natural beauty and wildlife
    6% Recreation opportunities
    12% Low crime
    10% Affordable housing and cost of living

    18% Family ties
    11% Some other reason
    6% Not sure

Conducted July 28-30, 2024, by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence

CONDUCTED JULY 28-30, 2024, BY RASMUSSEN REPORTS AND NUMBERSUSA

Photography by Holly Pippel