Sunshine State Survey

Overview

Josh Scacco

The Sunshine State Survey measures the views and opinions of Floridians on a wide range of economic, social, and political issues, ranging from policy priorities and preferences to government performance and media consumption. The survey, which is managed by the University of South Florisds School of Public Affairs, provides valuable data for leaders and decision makers, as well as citizens and researchers in one of the nation’s largest, most diverse, and highly competitive states.

Background

The Sunshine State Survey was created in 2006 under the direction of Leadership Florida and at the request of USF Distinguished Professor Emerita Susan MacManus, one of the nation’s leading political experts.  In 2014, Dr. MacManus and the University of South Florida’s School of Public Affairs partnered with The Nielsen Company, a global leader in data driven insights, to field the survey.  Dr. MacManus continued to lead the survey effort, with the assistance of her Media and Politics class, until her retirement in 2018.  In 2019 the survey effort was taken over by an interdisciplinary research team at the University of South Florida who continues to field the survey in partnership with Nielsen.  Learn more about the School of Public Affairs, The Nielsen Company, and our research team.