Poll: Marijuana Legalization Measures Will Drive Voters

[Purveyor]

By Annie Linskey Mar 25, 2014 1:58 PM ET

A majority of Americans favor legalizing marijuana and would be motivated to vote if a measure to do so is on the ballot, according to a George Washington University Battleground poll released today.

The survey of 1,000 likely voters found 73 percent support allowing marijuana for legal medical purposes, 53 percent favor decriminalization and 68 percent are “more likely” to go to their polling place to weigh in on a ballot.

“Marijuana legalization and marijuana decriminalization is at a tipping point” said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners and one of the two pollsters who conducted the survey. Support crosses party lines, though younger and single voters -- who tend to vote for Democrats -- are more motivated by those issues, she said.

Ballot measures on legalizing pot are set for Alaska’s August primary and probably this November in Oregon, according to Allen St. Pierre, the executive director Norml, a Washington-based nonprofit pushing for more access to the drug. Florida will see a decriminalization effort, he said.

The marijuana question was part of a wide-ranging poll that tested President Barack Obama’s approval rating, potential 2016 presidential candidates and American’s views on the billionaire Koch brothers. The survey, conducted March 16-20, was released today at a breakfast sponsored by The Christian Science Monitor. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-25/poll-marijuana-legalization-measures-will-drive-voters.html

[polichick]

1. Finally - critical mass!

[Politicalboi]

2. Well Duh!

If ALL Dem's go for full legalization, we could pull this off in 2014.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I've been arguing that exact point for some time.

However, it's nice to have real data to back up my intuition.

I think any House candidate with any sizable college-age population in their district could get a huge boost at the polls if they advocate legalization & promise to originate and/or back such legislation nationally.

[EC]

4. This is how you get the Libertarian vote.

Most of the people following Rand Paul are doing it because of pot legalization. There are a bunch of them that wants to close down all government, but most are in it to legalize. Take it from him he has less votes.

Just think how this will motivate Madison to get out in an off year...we could be rid of Ron Johnson and Scott Walker and maybe Joel Kleefish and Glenn Grothman...man that would be paradise.

[Scuba]

6. I asked Mary Burke directly if she supported legalization. Her response ....

... was "I don't think the State is ready for that."

I replied that polls suggested differently, but I was asking about polls, I was asking about her - would she support it?

Answer: "No."

I expect Glenn to come out in favor of legalization any minute now.

[EC]

7. YEP

that's what I worry about. Our State used to be Progressive. I remember we even had the slogan of "Forward" I still have a bumper sticker from like 1967 for Kenosha, saying Kenosha - Forward. So what happened to us?

Too many fundies moving into those Mega Churches built along the highways with their own little sub-divisions - forming their very own little gerrymandered district.

[Scuba]

5. Another great opportunity for Democrats to cede an issue to the other side!