Public Education tops issues in Canadian County Dems’ Czech Festival opinion poll

YUKON, Okla. – Public education was the top issue at Czech Festival with 23.1% of the votes cast in the public opinion poll conducted by the Canadian County Democrats at their booth on 4th Street.

Hundreds of festival visitors stopped by to drop dried pinto beans into the Democrats’ wood display with 11 topics separated by Plexiglas.

The second most popular issue in the bean poll was veterans’ services with 14.2 percent. followed by Medicare and Social Security with 10.7 percent; Lesbian Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer rights with 8.3 percent; and climate change with 8.2 percent.

Three issues tied with 6.6 percent of the votes: immigration reform; gun violence prevention; and roads, bridges and public transit.

Access to birth control and equal pay and minimum wage increases tied with 4.5 percent followed by Medicaid expansion with 4.1 percent.

“The Canadian County Democrats have used our bean poll for seven years to let people rank the top issues on their minds,” Canadian County Chair Jody Harlan said. “It’s a conversation-starter, and people seem to really like it, especially kids. We will definitely set up the bean poll at future events.”

The Canadian County Democrats meet in person at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, except December, at the Yukon Police Department, 100 S. Ranchwood Boulevard. The meetings are also live streamed on Zoom. For more information, visit @canadiancodems on Facebook or phone 405- 326-3600.

Caption: Christian Pugh (left) and Shirley Burton took the first volunteer shift at the Canadian County Democrats’ booth on Czech Day.