Quilcene – Supporters of the Wild Olympics proposal to designate approximately130,000 acres of wildemess and protect nearly 20 rivers and tributaries as "Wild and Scenic" are touting a new poll of likely voters in the 6th Congressional District as proof of strong public support for the plan.
"These results come as no surprise," said Connie Gallant, chair of the Wild Olympics Coalition. "In the three years we have been listening to voices in the community – from all backgrounds and interests – we have found common ground in a desire to move forward to safeguard the peninsula's most priceless natural treasures."
Opponents likewise weren't surprised at the results, calling the survey "dirty politics" designed to get the answer supporters were looking for.
"It's a push poll. They asked a question designed to get exactly the answer they want," said Montesano resident Dan Wood of Working Wild Olympics, a grassroots group opposed to the Wild Olympics plan. "It's unfortunate that it's not a true poll or an unbiased survey."
Nearly two out of three (64 percent) likely voters expressed approval for the Wild Olympics plan proposed by Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Bremerton, who represents the 6th District and Senator Patty Murray, D-Seattle. Just under half (49 percent) supported it "strongly." Twenty percent of the district voters polled said they were undecided.
"Our poll finds overwhelming support for the Wild Olympics proposal to protect rivers and streams on the Olympic Peninsula," said Mark Mellman of the Mellman Group, which partnered with Public Opinion Strategies to conduct the poll. "Even after being told of restrictions on commercial activity and motorized vehicles in wilderness areas, support for the proposal was more than four times the mere 15 percent who opposed it."
After specifically telling likely voters that the designations would allow recreational use of those areas, but would not permit commercial uses like logging, mining, oil and gas drilling, construction of new roads and dams or the use of mechanized vehicles, pollsters asked a single question – in addition to collecting demographic data – "Based on what you've heard, do you favor or oppose the Wild Olympics proposal?"
More than six in l0 men, women, younger voters (ages 18 to 39), seniors (60 and older), those with a high school education or less and those with a college degree or more backed the proposal. Majorities of Democrats (82 percent), independents (54 percent), and slightly less than half (48 percent) of Republicans supported the Wild Olympics proposal. In addition, a wide range of recreationists favored the plan – 69 percent of hikers and campers (16 percent oppose), 65 percent of anglers (18 percent oppose), and 56 percent of hunters (13 percent oppose).
"Support for the proposal is widespread and reaches across party lines," said Lori Weigel, partner at Public Opinion Strategies.
"I don't put a lot of stock in the poll. If we asked questions like 'do you want it to make it harder to get into the forest or manage the forest to reduce jobs?' … then we'd get overwhelming opposition," Wood said. "It's the same bias that they had from the very beginning and it's deceptive."
The survey of 500 likely voters in the 6th District's new boundaries was conducted June 7-10 by the Mellman Group and Public Opinion Strategies for the Pew Environment Group, at the request of the Wild Olympics Coalition, of which Pew is a member. Republican and Democratic polling firms were engaged to ensure the most independent and impartial results and to help educate the public about the proposal, according to a Wild Olympics press release. The poll's margin of error was +/- 4.4 percent. The margin of error for subgroups is greater.
For more information, visit www.wildolympics.org or www.working wildolympics.com.
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