The study was conducted by Daniel J. Koenig, from the Department of Sociology at the University of Victoria. The data was collected through mail questionnaires using a random sample of voters (with replacement) on the 1972 provincial & federal B.C. voters lists.
The purpose of the study was to analyze correlates of various voting patterns, not party preferences. Hence the sample is biased toward the upper educational-income-occupational levels. The first questionnaire was sent to a straight random sample of voters, prior to the 1972 provincial and federal elections. The second questionnaire was mailed to all who responded to the first questionnaire and to a new, fully random sample. The third questionnaire was mailed to a ll who had responded to the second questionnaire and still a third new, fully random sample.
Variables include:
(First questionnaire) most serious social issues facing people of B.C. and solutions; vote registration for 1969 provincial election, for 1968 federal election; 1969 provincial election vote recall; 1968 federal election vote recall; provincial election vote intention; federal election vote intention; registration to vote in federal election; provincial party preference; federal party preference; social change versus status quo; residence in 1969; whether friends, co-workers, family agree with R's provincial party preferences; 3pt. scale of importance of variety of social issues
(Second questionnaire) most important issue in federal election campaign; 4 pt. scale of agreement with statements on political efficacy; influence of candidate, party leader, party philosophy on vote; provincial and federal voting behavior; party majority in parliament; influence of news media on elections; knowledge of party preference of associates
(Third questionnaire) opinion on a variety of issues; reasons for voting behaviour in provincial and federal elections; questions to elicit political awareness and activity; federal and provincial vote recall; 4 pt. scale of agreement with various statements on democracy; comparison of income, job, and education; perceived social class.
Demographic variables include:
organizational membership, sex, age, marital status, no. of children living at home, education, occupation, employer, religion, ethnicity, gross family income (1971); community size.
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