Polls

CO voters favor assault weapons ban, legal pot, civil unions

| Dustin Ingalls

Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
Colorado voters are skeptical that any legislative reforms could have prevented the Aurora tragedy—only 35% think it could have, and 58% think it could not have.  But they overwhelmingly support a renewal of the assault weapons ban, 58-35.  52% of independents, 84% of Democrats, and even 38% of Republicans support that.  Favor for a measure to outlaw certain types of body armor and SWAT Team gear is split, with 41% in support and 40% opposed.

Support has also grown for a ballot measure which would legalize and regulate limited production, possession, and use of marijuana.  When PPP polled the state in mid-June, support for the so-called Amendment 64 narrowly outpaced opposition, 46-42.  In PPP’s first poll of likely voters in this fall’s election, almost two months later, support has grown to 47-38.  This movement is entirely because of independents, who were already in favor of the amendment by a 49-40 margin; they now support it by 30 points, 58-28.  Democrats are still slightly more in favor (59-22) than Republicans opposed (26-61).

Coloradans also still strongly support a bill killed by legislative Republicans which would have legalized civil unions for same-sex couples.  57% support the bill, and 37% oppose it.  That is similar to June’s 56-38.  The difference is that Republicans have moved slightly more in favor, from 27-65 in opposition to only 34-59.  60% of independents and 79% of Democrats support the bill.

John Hickenlooper’s approval rating, though still quite lofty, is down from June.  While 60% approved and only 26% disapproved of the governor’s job performance in the last survey, making him then the most popular governor in the country, that is now down to 56-29, tying him for fourth most popular of the 36 governors on which PPP has polled in the last less than two years.  This slight decline is not likely due to Hickenlooper’s divorce.  His ratings with Republicans—those most likely to frown on a Democrat’s personal troubles—remain the same (36-44), very strong cross-aisle support.  Instead, he has slipped a little in the eyes of Democrats and independents, though still 75% and 57% of them approve, respectively.

PPP surveyed 779 likely Colorado voters from August 2nd to 5th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.5%.  This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
John Hickenlooper’s job performance?
Approve…………….. 56%
Disapprove………… 29%
Not sure ……………. 15%

Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Mark
Udall’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .41%
Disapprove…………. .35%
Not sure …………….. .24%

Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Michael Bennet’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .36%
Disapprove…………. .37%
Not sure …………….. .27%

Q4 If there was an election for the state legislature
today, would you vote Democratic or
Republican?
Democratic…………. .45%
Republican…………. .45%
Undecided………….. .10%

Q5 Amendment 64 is an amendment to the
Colorado constitution concerning marijuana,
and, in connection therewith, providing for the
regulation of marijuana; permitting a person
twenty-one years of age or older to consume or
possess limited amounts of marijuana;
providing for the licensing of cultivation
facilities, product manufacturing facilities,
testing facilities, and retail stores; permitting
local governments to regulate or prohibit such
facilities; requiring the general assembly to
enact an excise tax to be levied upon
wholesale sales of marijuana; requiring that the
first $40 million in revenue raised annually by
such tax be credited to the public school capital
construction assistance fund; and requiring the
general assembly to enact legislation
governing the cultivation, processing, and sale
of industrial hemp. If the election was today,
would you vote or against Amendment 64?
For ……………………. .47%
Against………………. .38%
Not sure …………….. .15%

Q6 In general, do you think marijuana usage
should be legal or illegal?
Legal …………………. .50%
Illegal ………………… .42%
Not sure …………….. . 8%

Q7 Would you support or oppose the Colorado
legislature passing a bill that would let samesex
couples form civil unions?
Support ……………… .57%
Oppose ……………… .37%
Not sure …………….. . 6%

Q8 Do you support or oppose the tax credit for
wind energy production companies?
Support ……………… .45%
Oppose ……………… .31%
Not sure …………….. .24%

Q9 Would you support or oppose a federal ban on
the ownership of assault weapons?
Support ……………… .58%
Oppose ……………… .35%
Not sure …………….. . 7%

Q10 Would you support or oppose a federal ban on
the ownership of certain types of body armor
and SWAT Team gear?
Support ……………… .41%
Oppose ……………… .40%
Not sure …………….. .19%

Q11 Do you think any reforms of state or federal
gun laws could have prevented the Aurora
tragedy, or do you think no law reforms could
have prevented it?
Some gun law
reforms could have
prevented it ………….35%
Law reforms could
not have prevented
it…………………………58%
Not sure …………….. . 7%

Q12 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 45%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 7%

Q13 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 14%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 16%
Moderate………………………………………………… 27%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 21%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 22%

Q14 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%

Q15 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 34%
Republican……………………………………………… 37%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 29%

Q16 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If other, press 3.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 13%
White …………………………………………………….. 78%
Other……………………………………………………… 9%

Q17 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 37%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%

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