As part of the 2012 Utah Priorities Project, Utah Foundation and the Hinckley Institute of Politics have surveyed Utah voters and delegates to the major parties’ state conventions.  This survey was conducted for the first time in 2010, showing distinct differences between party delegates and voters, with delegates usually taking more zealous positions than their parties’ voters.  The 2012 survey also shows differences between voters and delegates, but those differences are not as pronounced as in 2010.

This survey also shows that both Republican delegates and voters now have more moderate views on several issues, such as global warming, abortion and public education.  Additionally, this survey reveals that support for the Tea Party in Utah has declined significantly since 2010. Finally, this survey provides insight into the delegates’ candidate preferences for this week’s state party conventions, as well as voter preferences for those candidates.

About the Utah Priorities Project
During this important election year, Utah Foundation is working to focus political dialogue on the issues that matter most to Utah voters. This is a project Utah Foundation undertakes during each gubernatorial election year. It begins with a survey of voters to rank the major issues and set the agenda for Utah Foundation’s research and other activities this year. Through outreach to many media outlets and a partnership with the Hinckley Institute of Politics, this project will also feature issue forums, candidate debates, candidate profiles, and other coverage of these issues.

Read this Research Report