The SLU/YouGov Poll
Rooted in Saint Louis University’s Jesuit mission to pursue truth for the greater good, the SLU/YouGov Poll surveys Missouri voters at least once a year about their views on key issues facing the state and national governments, evaluations of political actors and upcoming elections.
The poll fosters informed civic engagement by sharing results with the media, producing policy memos and issue briefs for lawmakers and making all data publicly available. Reflecting SLU’s commitment to public service and the Jesuit mission, the poll helps align public policy with voter opinion and provides a valuable resource for researchers, journalists and civic organizations across Missouri.
The Latest from the SLU/YouGov Poll
In February, the SLU/YouGov Poll surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters to assess their opinions concerning abortion, data centers, sales taxes, and other issues important to Missouri voters.
The SLU/YouGov Poll surveys likely Missouri voters on a broad range of issues, from guns and public safety to education. The SLU/YouGov Poll team has compiled results from several polls to show how Missourians' opinions have shifted over time.
Findings from the SLU/YouGov Poll have attracted media attention from a variety of local and national outlets such as The Washington Post, Politico, and MSNBC. To get the latest updates, follow the SLUYouGov Poll team on X, formerly known as Twitter.
About the SLU/YouGov Poll
The SLU/YouGov Poll provides policymakers and citizens with non-partisan, scientific assessments of key issues facing Missouri and the nation. By informing public discourse and helping government officials craft policies that reflect the interests of their constituents, the poll supports the foundations of a healthy democracy.
The SLU/YouGov Poll regularly surveys Missouri voters on pressing policy issues facing the state, including public health, education, and public safety. Our findings have been featured on the front pages of the Kansas City Star, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Springfield News-Leader, and have been covered by television media outlets across every Missouri market. Journalists have used our results to elevate public opinion in policy discussions and lawmakers have drawn on our data to help guide the policy-making process.
No other academic institution regularly conducts a non-partisan survey of Missouri voters and publicly shares its results with citizens, researchers, and policymakers. The SLU/YouGov Poll reflects SLU’s Jesuit mission to seek truth for the common good and contributes to the ideal of “faith that does justice” by fostering informed engagement and solidarity within the broader community.
The SLU/YouGov Poll is led by Director Steven Rogers, Ph.D., associate professor of political science. Kenneth Warren, Ph.D., professor of political science, is the associate director and brings over 30 years of professional polling experience to the team.
SLU has partnered with YouGov to conduct its annual survey of Missourians. YouGov conducts surveys for multiple academic institutions, and is the primary trusted survey firm for media organizations including CBS News and The Economist. FiveThirtyEight (538) ranked YouGov as one of the top pollsters in the country, with respect to its strong commitment to accuracy and transparency in polling, and in September 2024, The New York Times reported: “Only YouGov, long at the cutting edge of [online] polling, is still producing reasonably accurate results with [online] panels.”
The SLU/YouGov Poll was established in 2020 following an internal Big Ideas competition sponsored by the SLU Research Institute to identify university-wide strategic research priorities. Since 2022, the poll has been funded by the PRiME Center within SLU’s School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences.
For questions or suggestions for the SLU/YouGov Poll, please contact Steven Rogers, Ph.D., SLU/YouGov Poll director, at steven.rogers@slu.edu.