State Policy Network believes state and local governments develop the best and most supportive policies when they truly understand the community they are serving. In 2022, we are extending our commitment to understanding the wants, needs, and lives of Americans to support our Network in advancing local policies that enrich lives. 

We are launching SPN State Voices, a monthly public opinion study that will track Americans’ attitudes on key attitudes about government and policy solutions. Every month we will work with state leaders to identify questions that need to be asked to inform key local policy decisions.

We are excited to share the first results of this study with you—a snapshot of the low trust Americans have in government and other critical institutions because those institutions have not been responsive to the needs of the people.

No more than one-quarter of voters trust any level of government

Americans trust other key institutions at worrying levels

Trust in local school boards also low

According to a recent State Policy Network survey, just 24% of voters nationwide have a significant level of trust for their local school board.

About SPN’s State Voices Study

This polling was conducted by State Policy Network on January 21-26, 2022.

The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Registered Voters based on gender by age, educational attainment, race, marital status, home ownership, race by educational attainment, 2020 presidential vote, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

If you have any questions about this study, please contact Erin Norman (enorman@spn.org).