March 05, 2018
2018 Simon Poll presentation is March 8
CARBONDALE, Ill. — With the Illinois primary election less than three weeks away, an open discussion March 8 will examine the 2018 statewide political campaigns and recent social issues polls by Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.
The Simon Poll™ presentation is at 6 p.m. in the Student Center Auditorium. Admission is free and the public is invited. There will also be an audience Q-and-A session.
Institute staff will lead discussion
Institute staff John T. Shaw, director; John Jackson, visiting professor; and Linda Baker, university professor, will outline the main findings from polls on the Illinois primary and November general elections in what Shaw said defines as “in the midst of a contentious and consequential election year.”
The discussion will also look at the findings from other statewide Simon Polls, including:
- public perception of the direction of the nation and Illinois;
- Illinois’ budget and taxes; and
- government reform and social issues — including legalizing marijuana.
Simon Polls measure public opinion; provide important research
“The Simon Institute has measured and analyzed public opinion in Illinois for a decade. The Institute’s polls have offered provocative and rigorous snapshots of the mood of the state since 2008,” Shaw said.
The polls have also “served as an important resource for scholars who are seeking to understand important longer-term trends that shape our public policy debates,” Shaw said.
Public interaction welcome
The staff will outline the main findings in this year’s polls and looks forward to discussing with the public and university community the “hopes and concerns of the people of Illinois that are evident from this most recent Simon Institute poll,” Shaw said.
More event information is online at paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/ or by calling 618/453-4009.