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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 [email protected]
Robert A. Jackson
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA [email protected]
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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.

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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