Survey: Most Americans think open government is important

Nearly nine out of 10 Americans say knowing presidential and congressional candidates’ positions on open government is important, and three out of four say the government is secretive, according to a survey released March 16.

More than 1,000 adults participated in the phone survey, conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio State University to build up to this week’s Sunshine Week.  

The survey showed an increase in the percentage of people who considered the federal government secretive: 62 percent thought so in 2006 compared to 74 percent this year. On the state level, about half of the respondents said they thought their government was secretive.