Fun facts on voters' environmental values and more

By Collin Dunn

15 Oct 2003

73 -- percentage of Americans who think political candidates' positions on the environment are "very important" or "somewhat important"¹

61 -- percentage who say they are either active participants in or sympathizers with the environmental movement²

30 -- percentage who list the environment as an "extremely important" factor in deciding for whom to vote³

49 -- percentage who list both the economy and terrorism as "extremely important" factors in deciding for whom to vote³

51 -- percentage who say the U.S. government is doing too little to protect the environment²

35 -- percentage who believe that the Bush administration is weakening environmental protection policies²

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9 -- percentage who believe that the Bush administration is strengthening environmental protection policies²

75 -- percentage who favor imposing mandatory controls on carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases²

83 -- percentage of Democratic National Committee members who think President Bush is "very vulnerable" on the issue of the environment⁴

50.4 -- percentage of the voting-age public in America that cast presidential election votes in 2000⁵

96 -- lifetime environmental voting score for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), as determined by the League of Conservation Voters⁶

93 -- lifetime environmental voting score for Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.)⁷

90 -- lifetime environmental voting score for Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)⁸

79 -- lifetime environmental voting score for former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.)⁹

76 -- lifetime environmental voting score for Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.)¹⁰

66 -- lifetime environmental voting score for Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.)¹¹

F -- President Bush's 2003 environmental "report card" score from LCV¹²

Sources:
1. PollingReport.com, Newsweek poll, Apr. 13-14, 2000.
2. Gallup poll, 21 Apr 2003.
3. Gallup press release, "Economy, Terrorism Top Issues in 2004 Election Vote," 25 Sep 2003.
4. CBS News/New York Times poll, Dec. 9-18 , 2002 (PDF).
5. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voting in America: Final Report of the NCSL Elections Reform Task Force."
6. League of Conservation Voters, webpage on Kerry.
7. League of Conservation Voters, webpage on Lieberman.
8. League of Conservation Voters, webpage on Kucinich.
9. League of Conservation Voters, webpage on Moseley Braun.
10. League of Conservation Voters, webpage on Edwards.
11. League of Conservation Voters, webpage on Gephardt.
12. League of Conservation Voters, 2003 Presidential Report Card.

Collin Dunn writes from Tacoma, Wash.

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Fun facts on voters' environmental values and more