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The latest news about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 in Montana.

Poll: Montanans Worried About Economy, Most Support Stay-At-Home Orders

Survey results from an MSU study on stay at home orders.
Montana State University
A poll released May 5 shows most Montanans supported Governor Steve Bullock’s decision to issue a stay at home order in the early days of the novel coronavirus pandemic.";

A poll released May 5 shows most Montanans supported Governor Steve Bullock’s decision to issue a stay at home order in the early days of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

That same poll also finds a majority expect the government to take steps to ease the economic repercussions of the crisis.

The new poll conducted by Montana State University and the University of Denver finds Westerners are taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously but are also deeply worried about its economic impacts.

Forty percent of those poll respondents said they were very worried about an economic depression, while 33 percent said they were moderately worried. 

“They are very worried about the potential for a depression and the collapse of small businesses,” says MSU professor of political science Eric Raile. 

“We asked about different sorts of policy options linked to the two trillion dollar stimulus from a few weeks ago. People are very much in favor of providing help to individuals, especially lower income individuals and to small businesses. They aren’t nearly as sure about help for large corporations,” Raile says. 

The online poll conducted between mid to late April questioned over 2,200 residents of Colorado, North Dakota, Utah and included over 730 Montanans.

More than 38 percent of Montana respondents said they strongly support stay at home orders due to the novel coronavirus in their state, 32 percent said they support.

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
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