This Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone June 15-18, 2017, among a random
sample of 901 adult residents of the District of Columbia reached on conventional and
cellular phones by live interviewers. The margin of sampling error for overall results
is plus or minus four percentage points. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by
Abt Associates of Cambridge, Mass.
(Full methodological details appended at the end.)
* = less than .5 percent
RV=Registered voters
1. What is the biggest problem facing the District today, the one you want the mayor
to work the hardest to solve? (DO NOT READ)
6/18/17

11/15/15

Housing/housing costs/
low income housing/
more affordable housing
19
Crime/violence
13
Education/improving schools
11
TRANSPORTATION NET
11
Traffic/road quality/
parking problems
8
Metro rail or bus
3
Other transportation
*
ECONOMY NET
9
Jobs/creating more employment
opportunities
4
Economy/econ development/
improving quality of life/
cost of living
3
Taxes
1
Poverty/homelessness
7
Want DC to be self-governing/
Congressional representation/
Congressional oversight/statehood
5
Race issues/income inequality/
gentrification
3
Improving city services
2
Drugs/marijuana
2
CITY GOVERNMENT NET
4
Improve city government/
increase efficiency**
1
Corruption in city government
1
Balanced budget/
improve finances
1
Mayor/issues involving Mayor
*
Trump/Trump administration
1
Youth/services for young people
1
Infrastructure (unspecified)
1
Policing/police reform
1
Health care/mental health/
senior health
*
Nothing
*
Other
5
Don't know
6
*Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation
**11/15/15 and previous: Included “less corrupt”

5/31/11*

18
34
9
8

4
12
25
NA

6
NA
NA
11

5
NA
NA
22

5

16

5
1
6

5
1
2

2

2

2
1
1
2

NA
3
NA
13

1
NA

6
NA

1
*
NA
NA
NA
NA

5
1
NA
NA
NA
NA

NA
NA
5
4

NA
*
4
4

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way that Muriel Bowser is handling her job as
Mayor?

1

 6/18/17
11/15/15

-------Approve--------NET Strongly Somewhat
67
20
47
58
17
41

-------Disapprove------NET Somewhat Strongly
19
12
8
25
14
10

Compare to Vincent Gray:
3/23/14 RV
46
16
30
1/12/14
51
13
37
7/17/12
29
9
21
5/31/11*
41
10
31
*Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation

No
opin.
13
18

45
39
59
40

24
23
24
26

21
16
35
14

9
11
12
20

32
27
29
41
40

46
53
49
22
21

19
20
20
11
11

27
33
29
11
10

8
7
9
6
7

Compare to Anthony Williams:
7/18/06 RV
54
20
5/19/02 RV
64
24
5/19/02
64
22
2/7/00
77
36

34
40
42
40

40
29
28
17

16
11
11
9

24
18
17
7

6
7
8
7

Compare to Marion Barry:
5/18/98
35
16
5/4/97
31
13
5/19/96
50
25
2/29/96
48
19
3/02/95
58
28
5/89
28
NA
8/21/87
44
NA
7/86
50
NA

19
19
25
29
30
NA
NA
NA

52
63
47
45
27
62
41
38

17
21
21
19
13
NA
NA
NA

34
41
26
26
14
NA
NA
NA

14
6
3
7
15
10
15
12

Compare
8/26/10
1/28/10
1/28/10
1/8/08
1/8/08

to Adrian Fenty:
RV
47
15
RV
40
13
42
13
RV
72
31
72
32

Compare to Sharon Pratt Kelly:
12/21/93
30
7
23
67
2/2/92
54
20
34
42
*Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation

32
19

35
23

3
4

3. Now I’m going to mention some issues that face our community, and for each, please
tell me whether you think Mayor Bowser is doing an excellent job, good, not-so-good or
poor job in dealing with this issue.
6/18/17 – Summary table*
a. reducing crime in the city
b. improving District public
schools
c. reducing the influence of
wealthy political donors
on government decisions
d. creating and maintaining
affordable housing in
the District
e. addressing homelessness
in the District
f. relations between the
District and the Trump

--Excellent/Good--NET
Excel.
Good
53
7
46

--Not-so-good/Poor-NET
Not Good
Poor
40
29
11

No
op.
8

51

10

41

33

24

9

16

31

2

29

48

33

16

21

37

4

33

55

34

22

7

32

4

28

62

41

21

6

2

 Administration
52
11
41
31
19
*Items a-c asked of half sample a; items d-f asked of half sample b

11

17

Trend:
a. Reducing crime in the city

6/18/17
11/15/15
1/12/14 Gray
1/28/10 Fenty
1/8/08 Fenty

---Excellent/Good--NET
Excel.
Good
53
7
46
33
3
30
55
5
50
51
8
44
41
5
36

---Not-so-good/Poor--NET
Not good
Poor
40
29
11
63
37
26
39
30
10
44
29
15
55
40
15

No
opin.
8
5
5
4
4

---Not-so-good/Poor--NET
Not good
Poor
33
24
9
36
24
12
49
36
14
55
33
22
49
26
24
42
24
18
58
38
20
44
30
14

No
opin.
16
15
12
11
9
5
11
11

b. Improving District public schools

6/18/17
11/15/15
1/12/14 Gray
7/17/12 Gray
1/28/10 Fenty
1/8/08 Fenty
5/19/02 Williams
2/7/00 Williams

---Excellent/Good--NET
Excel.
Good
51
10
41
49
7
42
38
5
33
34
4
31
42
10
32
52
12
41
31
3
28
45
5
40

c. reducing the influence of wealthy political donors in on government decisions
---Excellent/Good--NET
Excel.
Good
31
2
29
31
3
27

6/18/17
11/15/15

---Not-so-good/Poor--NET
Not good
Poor
48
33
16
51
28
23

No
opin.
21
18

---Not-so-good/Poor--NET
Not good
Poor
62
41
21
73
NA
NA

No
opin.
6
-

e. addressing homelessness in the District
---Excellent/Good--NET
Excel.
Good
6/18/17
32
4
28
12/21/93 Kelly*
23
NA
NA
*”dealing with helping the homeless”
No trend d and f.
4. Generally speaking, how would you rate the job that District police are doing:
excellent, good, not so good or poor?

6/18/17
11/15/15
1/12/14
5/31/11*
1/28/10
1/8/08
7/18/06 RV
5/19/02
2/7/00
5/18/98
5/4/97
5/21/90

--Excellent/Good-NET
Excel. Good
74
18
56
63
10
53
71
12
59
76
15
61
73
12
61
61
8
53
53
6
47
65
8
57
63
9
54
49
7
42
68
15
53
65
13
52

---Not Good/Poor--NET Not Good Poor
24
16
8
34
24
11
27
17
10
21
16
5
25
17
8
37
27
10
43
30
13
31
21
10
33
23
10
45
29
16
30
21
9
26
20
6

No
opin.
2
3
2
3
2
2
4
4
4
5
2
9

3

 *Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation
5. For each of the following people, please tell me if you have a favorable or
unfavorable impression of that person, or perhaps you don’t know enough to say.
Here's the (first/next) one, [ITEM], do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression
of this person.
6/18/17 - Summary table
a. Vincent Gray
b. Karl Racine
c. Muriel Bowser

Favorable
41
19
70

Unfavorable
37
7
19

No opinion
22
74
10

Trend:
a. Vincent Gray
6/18/17
6/18/17 Dem RV
1/12/14
7/17/12
5/31/11*
8/26/10 RV
1/28/10**
1/8/08

Favorable
41
46
41
34
46
60
43
39

Unfavorable
37
36
41
56
37
16
13
9

No opinion
22
17
18
10
17
24
44
52

6/18/17 Dem RV
46
36
1/12/14 Dem RV
46
43
*Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation
**District Council Chairman Vincent Gray

17
10

b. Karl Racine
6/18/17
6/18/17 Dem RV

Favorable
19
21

Unfavorable
7
7

No opinion
74
72

Favorable
70

Unfavorable
19

No opinion
10

c. Muriel Bowser
6/18/17
6/18/17 Dem
1/12/14 Dem
7/17/12 Dem
*Registered

RV
73
19
RV
34
14
RV*
24
10
voters who identify as Democratic

8
52
66

6. (IF REGISTERED DEMOCRAT/PLAN TO REGISTER) Thinking ahead to the Democratic primary
for mayor next year, if the election were held today and the candidates were (Muriel
Bowser), (Vincent Gray) and (Karl Racine), for whom would you vote? Which one are you
leaning toward right now?

6/18/17

Bowser
50

Gray
27

Racine
10

(Vol.)
Other
*

(Vol.)
Neither/None
4

(Vol.)
Would not vote
1

No opin.
8

7. (IF REGISTERED DEMOCRAT/PLAN TO REGISTER) Who do you think has higher personal and
ethical standards – (Bowser) or (Gray)? (IF NEEDED: (Muriel Bowser) or (Vincent Gray)?

4

 6/18/17

Bowser
57

Gray
24

Both equally
3

Neither
3

No opinion
13

On another subject,
8. Which best describes your family's financial situation? Do you feel as if you (are
getting ahead financially), have just enough money to maintain your standard of
living, or (are falling behind financially)?
Getting
ahead
33
30
30

6/18/17
11/15/15
1/8/08

Just enough
to maintain
52
54
55

Falling
behind
13
15
15

No
opin.
2
1
1

9. As you may know, the District government is trying to redevelop parts of the city
to attract new businesses and residents. Do you think this process of redevelopment is
mainly good or mainly bad for people like you?

6/18/17
11/15/15
1/12/14
2/7/00

Mainly
good
67
61
68
79

Mainly
bad
28
36
25
14

No
opinion
5
3
7
8

10. Do you think each of the following is a major reason, a minor reason or not a
reason for the shortage of affordable housing in D.C.? First, [ITEM], is this a major
reason, a minor reason or not a reason for the shortage of affordable housing in D.C.,
or not?
6/18/17 – Summary table
a. not enough spending by the
District government to create
and maintain affordable housing
b. the District government NOT
ensuring funding helps people
who need it most
c. the city government catering
too much to the needs of building
developers
d. people seeking government housing
aid that they do not need
e. high-income people moving into the
District pushing up housing prices

Major
reason

Minor
reason

Not a
reason

No
opinion

64

22

9

5

54

26

11

8

64

19

12

5

30

30

31

9

75

15

8

1

11. Do you think the problem of homelessness in the District is (getting better),
(getting worse), or staying about the same?

6/18/17

Better
9

Worse
38

Staying about
the same
50

No
opinion
3

On another subject,
12. How much have you heard about the District inspector general’s report finding that
the previous schools chancellor placed city officials’ children in top public schools,

5

 going around the lottery system used by other parents. Have you heard a lot, a little
or nothing at all about this?

6/18/17

A lot
18

Nothing
at all
49

A little
33

No
opinion
*

13. (ASK IF HEARD A LOT/A LITTLE) Do you approve or disapprove of Mayor Bowser’s
response to this issue?
6/18/17

Approve
26

Disapprove
36

No opinion
39

12/13 Net table:

6/18/17

---------Heard a lot/a little-------NET
Approve
Disapprove
No opin.
51
13
18
20

Heard
nothing
49

No
opinion
*

14. Mayor Bowser says she will require the schools chancellor to discuss requests for
special school placement by government employees with the city Board of Ethics before
approving them. Do you think this is enough to prevent favoritism in the lottery
system, or should the city go further?

6/18/17

Enough
27

City should
go further
63

No
opinion
9

15. Do you think the special placement of officials’ children into schools they wanted
are (pretty much isolated incidents), or (a sign of broader corruption in city
politics)?

6/18/17

Isolated
incidents
35

Sign of broader
corruption in
city politics
52

No
opinion
13

Question 16 held for release.
17. How would you rate the Metro rail subway system in the Washington D.C. region excellent, good, not-so-good or poor?

6/18/17

-----Positive-----NET
Excel.
Good
44
6
38

-----Negative-----NET
Not so
Poor
52
27
25

Never
use
3

No
op.
1

Compare to:
I would like you to rate some types of public transportation available in some parts
of the greater Washington area. If you have NEVER USED this type of public
transportation, just tell me and I will move on. Generally speaking, how would you
rate the Metrorail subway system:

6/23/13
3/29/10
1/31/05

-----Positive-----NET
Excel.
Good
71
16
56
69
11
58
72
25
47

-----Negative-----NET
Not so
Poor
20
16
4
18
12
6
16
13
3

Never
use
7
10
12

No
op.
2
3
0

6

 18. Metro and many elected officials say the agency needs more funding to make the
rail and bus system safe and reliable. Would you support or oppose [ITEM]? How about
[NEXT ITEM]? IF NEEDED: Would you support or oppose [NEXT ITEM]?
6/18/17 – Summary table
Support
a. Increasing funding for Metro from Maryland,
Virginia and D.C., paid for by raising taxes
or cutting other programs
b. Increasing fares for riding Metro trains and buses
c. Reducing the frequency of Metro trains and buses
d. Creating a sales tax in the D.C. region that
would directly fund Metro
e. A new property tax on buildings and homes
located close to Metro rail stations

Oppose

No opinion

47
34
19

48
64
78

6
2
3

53

43

4

38

58

4

19. In the past two years, have you changed the way you regularly go to work or get
around the city as a result of Metro rail delays and shutdowns or not?

6/18/17

Yes
42

No
51

(Vol.)
Never
used
6

No
opinion
1

20. How much, if at all, do you think Donald Trump’s arrival to the District as
president has changed the city – a lot, some, not too much or not at all?

6/18/17

----A lot/some---NET
A lot
Some
54
30
25

--------Not much/at all-------NET
Not too much
Not at all
44
23
21

No
opinion
1

21. Which of the following Trump proposals do you think will have the biggest effect
on the District – (deporting more undocumented immigrants), (overhauling the 2010
health care law), (budget cuts to Medicaid and social safety net services),
(increasing defense spending), or something else?

6/18/17

Budget cuts to
Medicaid, etc.
41

Overhaul
health law
26

Deporting more
undocu. immigs.
13

Increasing
defense spend
11

Something
else
6

No
op.
4

22. Since the beginning of this year, have you participated in a political protest or
march in D.C. or not?
6/18/17

Yes
37

No
63

No opinion
*

22a. (IF YES) Thinking about the most recent march or protest you participated in, was
this to protest policies or actions of President Trump, or not?
6/18/17

Yes
90

No
10

No opinion
*

22/22a Net:
--Participated in recent march/protest----NET
To protest Trump
Not Trump
No op.
6/18/17
37
33
4
*

Did not march/
protest
63

No
opinion
*

7

 Question 23 held for release.
METHODOLOGICAL DETAILS
This poll was sponsored and funded by The Washington Post. The questionnaire was
administered with the exact questions in the exact order as appears in this document.
The poll was conducted in English among a random sample of D.C. adult residents.
Voter registration and demographic information are not shown. If a question was asked
of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question identifies the
group asked. Questions that contain parenthetical phrases indicate clauses that were
randomly rotated for respondents. Trended references to results with “LV” or “RV”
indicate results among likely voters or registered voters.
A dual frame landline and cell phone telephone sample was generated using Random Digit
Dialing procedures. A supplemental sample of non-202 cell phones was drawn from Survey
Sampling International (SSI). The survey was conducted with 337 respondents reached on
landline phones, 564 reached on cellular phones including 371 respondents who were
cell phone users with no landline phone at home from the 202 area code and 150 sampled
from non-202 are codes.
Interviewers called landlines and asked to interview the youngest male or youngest
female who is at home at the time, with the male requested 75 percent of the time.
Interviewers calling cellular phones interviewed the respondent if they were eligible
to participate.
This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for differential chances
of selection depending on phone ownership and to match known demographic benchmarks.
The overall adult sample is weighted using a raking procedure to match the demographic
makeup of the population by sex, city wards, age, education, race/ethnicity, voter
registration status and the share of cell phone only/landline only/dual service
household.
Sources for weighting targets include the most recent American Community Survey (age,
sex, education, race, city wards), the most recent Current Population Survey (voter
registration) and the most recent National Health Interview Survey (telephone use).
All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which
is 1.4 in this survey. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s
deviation from a simple random sample, and takes into account decreases in precision
due to sample design and weighting procedures. Surveys that do not incorporate a
design effect overstate their precision.
The Washington Post is a charter member of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which
recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they
produce.
Contact polls@washpost.com for further information about how The Washington Post
conducts polls.

8

 Charter Member

AAPQSR

Transnarencv
Initiative

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR
PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH