Comparative State Elections Project, 1968

This data collection contains information gathered in a study that explored political attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors within and among states and regions, and across the United States as a whole, in 1968, just after the presidential, gubernatorial, and United States senatorial elections. To facilitate comparisons within and among states, separate surveys were conducted in 13 states, chosen to represent the largest states and a variety of regions: Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas. The other 35 contiguous states and the District of Columbia were represented by an additional sample. Respondents were asked about their national and state party identification, political ideology, and perceptions of the ideological positions of the presidential candidates and the Democratic and Republican parties. Perceptions of existing problems, citizen duties, and political efficacy were also explored, along with levels of confidence in the federal and state governments. Respondents rated the potential "excellence as President" of a dozen 1968 presidential contenders, and they rated the job performance of the United States Congress, state legislatures, President Lyndon Johnson, state governors, and the major political parties. Respondents' positive and negative images of the 1968 gubernatorial and senatorial candidates, past voting behavior, participation and party contact in the 1968 election campaign, and 1968 voting behavior (from president down the ballot, including candidate choice in gubernatorial and senatorial primaries) were also elicited. Demographic data include age, sex, race, level of education, religion, church attendance, marital status, employment status, occupation, and family income.