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Who's not afraid of Proposal B?: An analysis of exit-poll data from Michigan's vote on physician-assisted suicide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 May 2016

Stephen J. Ziegler  and
Robert A. Jackson
Stephen J. Ziegler
Affiliation:
School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University — Purdue University, Neff Hall 260E, 2101 East Coliseum Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499, USA zieglers@ipfw.edu
Robert A. Jackson
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA rjackson@garnet.acns.fsu.edu
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Abstract

In November 1998, Michigan voters rejected Proposal B, a citizen initiative that would have legalized physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Although polls had long indicated overwhelming support for PAS, support for Proposal B declined before the election. We analyzed exit-poll data to characterize opponents, supporters, and cross-over voters. We then compared our results with those from earlier research that examined attitudinal and socio-demographic influences. We found that many presumptive PAS supporters did not vote for Proposal B. These data may call into question prospects for similar initiatives.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Politics and the Life Sciences , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , March 2004 , pp. 42 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Politics and the Life Sciences 

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