Washington Post Federal Election Commission Poll, January 1997

This special topic poll, conducted January 14-19, 1996, is
part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public
opinion on the presidency and on a range of political and social
issues. The focus of this data collection was campaign finance laws
and the pending reform of those laws. Respondents were asked for their
opinion and level of knowledge on campaign finance laws, use of
campaign funds, the federal government's campaign finance activities,
and the public funding of federal elections. Additional topics covered
various proposals for campaign finance reform, special interest group
contributions, restrictions on political advertising, and the reasons
why people contribute to campaigns. Respondents were also asked for
their political contribution history, and for their opinions on the
influence and access that political contributors gain from their
contributions. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education
level, employment status, household income, political party
affiliation, political orientation, and voter registration status and
participation history.

本次专项民意调查于1996年1月14日至19日开展，属于持续开展的月度调查系列的组成部分，该系列调查旨在征询公众对总统任期及一系列政治与社会议题的意见。
本次数据采集的核心主题为竞选财务法（campaign finance laws）及该类法律的待审议改革方案。受访者需就竞选财务法、竞选资金使用方式、联邦政府的竞选财务相关活动，以及联邦选举公共资助机制，阐述自身观点与认知水平。
本次调查还涵盖了多项竞选财务改革提案、特殊利益集团政治捐款、政治广告限制条款，以及民众参与竞选捐款的动因等议题。受访者还需提供自身的政治捐款经历，并就政治捐款者通过捐款所获得的影响力及政界准入渠道，表达自身看法。
本次调查的人口统计学变量包括性别、年龄、种族、受教育程度、就业状况、家庭收入、政党隶属、政治倾向，以及选民登记状态与投票参与历史。