Saratoga Lake vs. The Hudson River:
Voter Preferences for the Future
Saratoga Springs Drinking Water
Source
Environmental Studies
Capstone Project 2007
Sarah Loomis and Julie Ringer
Methodology
• 21 Question Phone Survey
• Phone numbers taken from the Board of
Elections
• Numbers were randomized using Microsoft
Excel
• 313 Respondents
• Surveys Completed
• March 20- April 7
• Calling Hours
• 11 AM- 8 PM
• Data was analyzed using SPSS
• Multivariate Analysis
Voters Prefer Saratoga Lake
Undecided
21%
Hudson
28%
Other
4%
Saratoga Lake
47%
Q: Which source do you favor, Saratoga Lake or the Hudson?
Influential Factors
• Issue Framing
• Cost, Water Quality, Local Control,
Development (Kellogg and Ennis-McMillan, 2005)
• Recreation Habits
• Partisanship and Ideology
• Environmental Attitude
Issues Associated With Each
Source
• Saratoga Lake
– Development
– Local Control
– Cost
– Water Quality
• The Hudson
– Cost
– Water Quality
– Recreation
What Resonates With Voters?
12%
1%
10%
Cost
Quality
Local Control
Impact on Development
Preservation of Saratoga Lake
Don’t Know
6%
11%
60%
Q: Out of all of the factors to consider when choosing a drinking water
source, which is the most important to you?
The Likelihood of Residents to Favor
Saratoga Lake as Informed by Issue
Framing
87%
82%
75%
57%
P = 0.00
Local Control
P = 0.01
Development
P = 0.01
Cost
Logistical regression for who favors Saratoga Lake
P = 0.01
Quality
Those Who Use Saratoga Lake,
Prefer the Hudson
49%
31%
52%
48%
48%
32%
24%
19%
Often
Sometimes
Saratoga Lake
Rarely
Never
Hudson River
Recreation Cross-tabulated with Preferred Source
The Majority of Residents Seldom Use
Saratoga Lake
Often
16%
Never
34%
Sometimes
25%
Rarely
25%
Q: How often do you use Saratoga Lake for recreational purposes?
Party Identification
GOP
32%
Democrat
33%
Independent
35%
Q: When it comes to politics do you generally consider yourself a
Democrat, Independent, or a Republican?
Democrats are More Likely to Favor
Saratoga Lake
57%
38%
P = 0.03
Democrat
P= 0.72
GOP
Relationship between Party ID and Saratoga Lake
Voters Care About the
Environment
Somewhat
Important
13%
Not Important
0%
Most Important
17%
Very Important
70%
Q: How important to you is the environment?
People Who Think that the Environment is the
Most Important Factor, Favor Saratoga Lake
44%
17%
Saratoga Lake
Hudson
Importance of the Environment Cross-tabulated with Source Preference
Issue Framing: Quality
91%
7%
Very Important
Somewhat
Important
1%
1%
Not Important
Don’t Know
Q: How important to you is quality, when choosing a water source?
Conclusions
• Voters favor Saratoga Lake
– Perceived Cheaper Cost
– Perceived Higher Water Quality
• How to attract voter support?
– Focus on Cost and Water Quality
– Access to Recreation
– Local Control and Impact on Development