According to a recent poll from Cornell University, nearly half of New Yorkers support stem cell research and would approve a proposition to establish a state-funded institute dedicated to this emerging field of science.

Statewide, 45 percent of all respondents to the 2005 Empire State Poll said they probably would support a ballot measure that would create a stem cell research institute in New York state -- similar to legislation that has passed in California. Another 26 percent of poll respondents indicated it would be unlikely that they would support such a proposition, while 27 percent were either undecided or said that they needed more information.

The measure of support for stem cell research was similar in all regions of the state, although a slightly larger share (46 percent) of downstate residents said they would support a publicly funded stem cell research institute compared to upstate New Yorkers (43 percent). Similarly, 29 percent of upstate residents indicated that they probably wouldn't support a California-style stem cell initiative, while only 24 percent of downstaters were similarly opposed.

Among those who responded to the poll, New Yorkers registered as Democrats were most likely to support public investment in stem cell research when compared to Republicans and independents. More than half of registered Democrats -- 53 percent -- said they would likely vote "yes," while 19 percent indicated they probably would be opposed. Fully 46 percent of independents said they probably would support stem cell research, while 23 percent said it was unlikely that they would approve such a measure. Support among Republicans was far less enthusiastic, with 42 percent likely opposing public investment in a stem cell research institute and 32 percent responding that they probably would support such an initiative.

Support for public investment in a stem cell research institute increases with demographic variables such as higher household income and greater educational attainment. Poll respondents from households with incomes of $75,000 and above were almost twice as likely to support state funding for stem cell research than those from households with incomes of $35,000 or less (59 percent versus 34 percent). Similarly, survey respondents with some sort of graduate education were twice as likely (60 percent versus 30 percent) to say they would vote in support of state-funded stem cell research than those with a high school education or less. White respondents were also more likely to support state-funded stem cell research than non-white respondents (50 percent versus 35 percent).

The Empire State Poll is a general survey of New York state residents, age 18 years and older. It is conducted by the Survey Research Institute at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The 2005 poll was conducted between Feb. 24 and March 24, 2005. For more information about the Empire State Poll, the Survey Research Institute at Cornell or the methodology used in this poll, visit http://www.sri.cornell.edu. Copies of the poll can be downloaded from this site.