(Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Oregonians remain worried about local hospitals lacking beds and staff to treat all patients and about political polarization both nationally and across the state.
Those were the findings of an early February poll of nearly 1,600 Oregon residents by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, a nonpartisan research organization. Findings were released this week.
The survey found 81% of Oregonians were either very or somewhat concerned about hospitals not having enough staff to treat all patients, down from 86% in an October survey. Oregonians in the Portland Metro area (86%) and Willamette Valley (78%) were more concerned than the rest of the state (76%).
Oregonians’ opinions about school safety during Covid remained about the same as in October, with 48% saying schools are doing a good job minimizing the spread of the virus, 21% saying schools are not doing a good job, and 30% unsure. The survey was conducted before the state lifted its mask mandate in local schools.
Political polarization was a concern for most respondents, with 88% saying the U.S. and 74% saying Oregon are politically divided. Among those who felt the country and state were polarized, nearly all said they were very or somewhat worried about the trend.
About 19% of those surveyed said they believed there was widespread fraudulent voting in the 2020 election which changed the election results, despite numerous independent audits and assessments to the contrary.
Oregonians were also asked their view about the violent effort to stop the certification of election results at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Of those surveyed, 44% described the event as an “attempted coup or insurrection,” 26% as a “riot out of control,” 8% as a “reasonable protest” and 10% said the events were carried out by opponents of Donald Trump, such as antifascists and government agents.
-Rachel Alexander
