Written by: Shawn Teigen
The Great Salt Lake is a substantial part of Utah’s culture, economy, and ecosystem. That said, it was among the least important of 17 items prioritized by Utah voters in early 2024. It is not clear if its low priority is because the Great Salt Lake is seen as a regional issue, or if the issue was considered resolved after the critically low water levels in 2022 were – at least temporarily – abated. Human … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Many of the Utah Priorities Project’s issues are concerns viewed through the lens of growth. A growing population puts pressure on housing, water, the education system, and air quality – all of which are high-priority issues for Utah voters. With the crowded neighborhoods issue, the Utah Foundation attempted to isolate how concerning growth was on its own. Based on survey results, Utah voters prioritized crowded neighborhoods among the items of low importance. Utahns may have … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Utah voters ranked abortion and women’s rights issues as medium importance in the 2024 Utah Priorities Project. Women and Democrats were three and seven percentage points, respectively, more likely than men and Republicans to prioritize women’s issues. Many of the Project’s open-ended survey responses related to the issue focused on abortion specifically, which is perhaps not surprising given the relatively recent repeal of Roe v. Wade. Open-ended comments also often addressed economic inequality between men … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Crime is a concern for many Utahns. It should come as little surprise that the issue ranked of some importance among voters responding to the 2024 Utah Priorities Project survey. Nonetheless, crime rates have been steadily in decline for decades – except violent crime in Utah. Read more in the 2024 Utah Priorities Project’s 13th research brief. Read the brief here.
Written by: Shawn Teigen
Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. The 3.4 million population is expected to increase to approximately 5 million by 2050. As Utah’s population grows, concerns about roads and transportation grow with it. Utahns spend about 23 minutes getting to work each day. Most drive alone. Over 16% – the next largest group – work from home. Read the research brief for more about transportation in Utah, including road usage charges, revenues … Continued
Written by: Shawn Teigen
The Utah Foundation’s research brief on homelessness is meant, in part, to help voters better understand the issues. First, it is important to note that the term “homeless” can refer to either situational or chronic realities facing individuals or families in the state. Those who are situationally homeless may be unable to find affordable housing, may be experiencing economic instability generated by job loss or health issues, or may be escaping domestic violence. In contrast, … Continued
Written by: Staff
Utah voters consider immigration of medium importance, but the 2024 Utah Priorities Project showed large differences among demographic groups. Almost 9% of Utahns were born in a foreign country. About 42% of those individuals are naturalized citizens, and around 40% are estimated to be unauthorized immigrants. Utah policy toward immigrants has fluctuated over time, but recent programs seem welcoming. This may be due in part to the fact that Utah immigrants play an outsized role … Continued
Written by: Staff
Taxes and government spending was an important issue to voters in the 2024 Utah Priorities Project survey. Preferences varied by gender, income, and political affiliation. For instance, women prefer to fund education and health care with hypothetical windfall funds. In another question, conservatives and liberals have drastically different views regarding the effectiveness of government.
Written by: Staff
Air quality was ranked as important in the 2024 Utah Priorities Survey. Those most concerned about air quality were higher-income voters, voters with graduate degrees, and liberal voters. A 2023 statewide poll identified that close to 60% of respondents support strengthening environmental regulations in the U.S., and over 75% indicated that protecting the environment should be more important than economic growth. However, many Utah Priorities Project survey respondents expressed an unwillingness to improve air quality … Continued
Written by: Staff
Following the pandemic, K-12 education became a top-three concern in the Utah Priorities Project. At the time, concern was partially driven by the economic needs of working parents, health risks, and educational challenges. In the 2024 Project, K-12 education has dropped to seventh place. When considering the quality of Utah’s schools, 44% of voters agree that “public schools offer all kids access to an education that will allow them to succeed,” while 42% disagree. When … Continued