CQ Voting Studies are an annual analysis of a member's support or opposition to a given position. Interest Group Ratings are based on rankings from groups chosen to represent liberal, conservative, business and labor viewpoints.Voting Participation scores are based on the number of times a member voted "yea" or "nay" on roll call votes (not including quorum calls in the House). CQ Vote Studies Year Presidential Support Party Unity   S* O* S O 1998 44% 46% 63% 32% 1997 56 37 64 25 1996 58 38 70 21 1995 37 59 80 15 1994 68 27 57 36 1993 56 41 65 31 1992 66 32 64 33 1991 71 27 58 37 1990 57 39 58 36 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 94 1997 91 1996 91 1995 96 1994 93 1993 96 1992 97 1991 94 1990 94	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 30% n/a 100% 29 % 1997 45 50 90 33 1996 20 20 63 60 1995 30 33 91 52 1994 20 11 100 68 1993 20 33 100 79 1992 30 50 88 68 1991 20 50 70 70 1990 33 25 54 43
Note on Interest Groups: ADA=Americans for Democratic Action; AFL-CIO=American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations; CCUS=Chamber of Commerce of the United States; ACU=American Conservative Union

NEW YORK 31 : Southern Tier - Jamestown; Corning; Elmira

The 31st stretches more than 100 miles across the southwestern portion of the state - the Southern Tier - and encompasses a mix of forests, finger lakes and farms. Small towns and villages dot the countryside.

The district has the second-highest percentage of blue-collar workers and is home to diverse manufacturing interests, including glassware, furniture and diesel engines. Agriculture accounts for more than 50 percent of the district's economy, mostly through dairy farms and wineries. Steuben County contains Corning, one of America's better-known company towns because of its glass products and costly crystal pieces. The Finger Lakes and surrounding parks draw thousands of visitors to the area each year.

Going back to the 1840s, this area has had a Republican representative for all but 10 years. Although Clinton won the district in 1996, his margin of victory was not as large as elsewhere in the state. Democrats rarely make inroads here, and those who do tend to be conservative. The 31st will most likely increase in area during redistricting after the 2000 census, as the region's population is declining. The population of Jamestown, the district's largest city, dropped by an estimated 15 percent between 1990 and 1996.

Major Industry
Dairy farming, tourism, furniture manufacturing

Population
580,400 (1990)

Cities
Jamestown, 33,154; Elmira, 32,009; Olean, 16,494 (1996)

People
60% rural; 15% age 65+ (ranks 12 of 31 in state; top third nationally); 58% married couples, 27% married couples with children; 15% college educated (ranks 26 of 31 in state; bottom third nationally); 50% white collar (ranks 29 of 31 in state; bottom third nationally), 30% blue collar (ranks second of 31 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
96% white, 2% black, 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$25,124 (ranks 27 of 31 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
The first Women's Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls in 1848; Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown commemorating longtime resident Lucille Ball; Corning Glass Center is a major tourist attraction.

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