Each iteration of the American Municipal Officials Survey (AMOS) includes different questions. The survey being conducted right now is focused on obtaining demographic data about municipal officials. It consists of just 19 brief questions and should only take 2 to 3 minutes to complete. Responses will be completely confidential, as they have been in past iterations of the AMOS.
Below are the questions we ask in the 2017 AMOS. If you would like to participate, please email us at municipalsurvey@byu.edu or call us at (801) 422-2337 (Adam Dynes’s office number). To see results from past iterations of the AMOS, please click here.
Questions in the 2017 AMOS
What is your gender?
o Male
o Female
What year were you born?
Are you a veteran?
o Yes
o No
Is anyone in your household a veteran?
o Yes
o No
Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or something else?
o Republican
o Democrat
o Independent
o Other: _____________
[If “Independent”]: Do you think of yourself as closer to the Republican Party or to the Democratic party?
o Closer to the Republican party
o Closer to the Democratic party
o Neither
[If “Republican” or “Democrat”]: Would you call yourself a strong [Republican OR Democrat] or not a very strong [Republican OR Democrat] ?
o Strong [Republican OR Democrat]
o Not very strong [Republican OR Democrat]
Please check one or more categories below to indicate what race(s) you consider yourself to be.
▢ White
▢ Black or African American
▢ American Indian or Alaska Native
▢ Asian or Pacific Islander
▢ Multi-racial
▢ Other: _____________
Are you of Spanish or Hispanic origin or descent?
o Yes
o No
Do you consider yourself Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, another religion, or not religious?
o Christian
o Jewish
o Muslim
o Buddhist
o Hindu
o Other: _____________
o Not religious
What is the highest level of school you have completed?
o Less than high school
o Completed SOME high school
o High school graduate
o Completed SOME college
o Associate degree
o Bachelor’s degree
o Completed SOME post-graduate
o Master’s/Ph.D./Law/Medical degree
Do you currently live in the city where you serve or work as a municipal official (either elected or appointed)?
o Yes
o Yes, but I am no longer an official or staff in that municipality
o No
Do you own or rent your home?
o Own
o Rent
o Occupied without any payment of cash rent
o Other: _____________
Besides working as a municipal official, are you currently…?
o Employed for wages
o Self-employed
o Out of work and looking for work
o A homemaker
o A student
o Serving in Military
o Retired
o Unable to work
o I only work full-time as a municipal official
What is your occupation (or was your occupation before working as a municipal official)?
Thinking back over the last year, what was your family’s annual income?
Are you registered to vote?
o Yes
o No
In terms of your political views, do you think of yourself as:
o Very liberal
o Liberal
o Slightly liberal
o Moderate
o Slightly conservative
o Conservative
o Very conservative
Are you married, divorced, widowed, separated from your spouse or partner, or never married?
o Married
o Divorced
o Widowed
o Separated from spouse or partner
o Never married
Do you have any children under age 18?
o Yes
o No
