Voters to State Government: Don’t Interfere with Businesses and Vaccines

Voters want to know those providing health care services are vaccinated

Volume 33 No. 5 | August 3, 2021

By Pat McFerron, President
Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associate
@McFerron

In an earlier Sooner Survey (Volume 33, No.2 “The Partisan Virus”) we shared data about the extreme partisan nature of opinions regarding Covid-19. This edition digs deeper and looks at the intersection of Covid-19 vaccination and the rights of businesses, employees, patients, and those interacting with state government. Even on these issues, we continue to see partisan differences, but it does become clear that Oklahoma’s political culture of reduced government interference wins out – even when it seems to conflict with the political debates about Covid-19 and vaccinations.

When voters are asked a fundamental question about if state government should take action regarding how private companies interact with their employees regarding vaccinations, a strong majority (57%) OPPOSE any action. This opposition to government action is led by Republicans with 65% saying government should not interfere. One in five voters (20%) would prefer the state government mandate employees get vaccinations and 17% would prefer state government prohibit private employers from requiring employees get a vaccination. Fully 36% of registered Democrats in the state think that employees of private businesses should be required to be vaccinated while only 9% of Republicans hold that same view.

While we know that those most opposed to vaccine requirements are self-described strong conservatives, strong conservatives are also the most likely to oppose government interference (65% Should Not Interfere; 23% Should Prohibit Requiring a Vaccine; 8% Should Require Vaccinations). They are joined by those voters who have an unfavorable impression of Joe Biden (64% Do Not Interfere) and those who say they will support a Republican on the generic congressional ballot (63% Do Not Interfere). From a general election perspective, it is important to note that among the 16% who are undecided on the congressional generic ballot, 59% oppose government interference and only 12% want the state to prohibit an employer from requiring employees to be vaccinated.

When it comes to what private business should do, voters are divided. While they don’t want government to force a business to do one or the other, 49% say businesses should have the right to require a vaccine while 48% disagree. On this question, we see the more substantial partisan lines we have grown accustomed to with Covid. Fully 71% of Democrats taking the pro-employer rights side while only 33% of Republicans do so.

While differences still exist, we do see members of both parties come a bit closer when the focus shifts to patients as opposed to employers and employees. When asked about those working with immune-compromised populations such as nursing homes, 64% of voters think vaccines should be required and only 32% disagree. Democrats are largely united (82% Agree) while a majority of Republicans hold that same view (52% Agree).

When talking about the rights of patients to know if their providers have been vaccinated, we again see solid support for a pro-vaccine agenda. Voters think patients should have this right by a 25-point margin. Democrats lead this charge (78% Agree / 18% Disagree) while Republicans lean very slightly against (45% Agree / 55% Disagree). Swing blocs such as registered Independents (65% Agree / 28% Disagree) and those undecided on a generic ballot (59% Agree / 31% Disagree) are also very supportive. In the two metro areas, support hits 65% and among those over the age of 65 – those most frequently visiting doctors – support for knowing the status of health care workers skyrockets to 72%.

It is clear that one reason we see support for allowing businesses to require vaccinations is because the vast majority of voters believe the Covid vaccines are safe and effective. When asked to agree or disagree with that statement, 65% agree and only 27% disagree. While Democrats (81%) are largely unified, a solid majority of Oklahoma Republicans also hold this belief (53% Agree / 38% Disagree). Urbanites are more in agreement (72%) than are rural dwellers (58% Agree / 36% Disagree) and those over 65 years of age are among the most likely to (78% Agree) see vaccines as safe and effective as do 85% of African-Americans.

Political interference into Covid-19 issues does not look to be a winning strategy – especially for Republicans. Any public discourse on this issue tends to unite Democrats and divides Republicans with those over the age of 65 tending to lean toward a more pro-vaccination position. When it comes to addressing businesses, the issue creates additional conflict between the long-held conservative belief in less regulation and the state’s populism. From a political standpoint, it is simply better to let the issues of mandating or prohibiting vaccines play themselves out by letting individual employers and their employees make those decisions. ◊