Monday, April 05, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 5, 2004

Contact: Dr. Walt De Vries, The Institute of Political Leadership

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Day: (910) 962-7585; Night: (910) 256-2316

www.devriesw@uncw.edu



WILMINGTON, NC--The spring, 2004 Class of the Institute of Political Leadership at UNCW interviewed 237 New Hanover County registered voters on Friday evening, April 2, 2004. The poll has a margin of error of +or-6%. The IOPL classes have conducted 33 polls—since February, 1988—with 8,500 New Hanover County voters.

New Hanover County is a “bellwether” county (along with 10 other counties) for statewide voting in North Carolina, that is, as New Hanover County votes, so votes the state.

GROWTH ISSUES SOAR IN IMPORTANCE

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the most important county issues cited by voters in this survey deal with the problems of urban growth—traffic, roads, uncontrolled growth and lack of planning. With each IOPL poll—done every six months for 16 years—the growth issue has increased in importance among the voters. However, over the past six months alone, there has been an enormous increase of 24% in the voters’ perceptions of these problems when compared with the 34% of the voters who cited them in the IOPL October 24, 2003 poll. This is the largest increase in voter awareness and concern for the problems of growth since the IOPL first started polling among New Hanover County voters in February, 1988.

HIGH APPROVAL RATING FOR MAYOR BROADHURST

Wilmington’s Mayor Spence Broadhurst scored high in the first public poll conducted on the way he is handling his job. Mayor Broadhurst, who has held office for four months, has a 47% approval rating, a 7% disapproval and 46% are uncertain how to rate him.

BALLANTINE AND EASLEY SCORE HIGHEST RATINGS

Among New Hanover County voters, State Senator Patrick Ballantine (R-New Hanover), at 55%, and Governor Mike Easley, at 54%, have the highest favorable name recognition. Governor Easley’s approval rating has remained the same since the October, 2003 poll . Richard Vinroot, the former Mayor of Charlotte and former Republican candidate for governor, receives the highest unfavorable ratings (15%) of all the statewide candidates measured in this poll.



All of the other statewide candidates for Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Attorney General, Lt. Governor and Commissioner of Labor score 13 points or less in the favorable ratings. On the “never heard of” responses, these candidates were in a range of 42 to 67 points.





VOTERS ENDORSE CIGARETTE, BEER TAXES AND LOTTERY

New Hanover County voters have strong opinions on how the state’s one billion dollar deficit could be reduced.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of the voters would approve an increase in the tax on a pack of cigarettes from 5 to 75 cents while 27% disapprove of the tax and only 5% say that they aren’t sure. That tax would raise $400 million. The approval of this tax increase increased 7% since the October, 2003 poll.

An even greater number of voters (80%) approve of a proposal to raise the tax on a can of beer from 5 to 10 cents, which would raise $83 million. Approval for this increase has remained the same since the October, 2003 poll.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of New Hanover County voters say they approve of a statewide lottery while 25% disapprove. In the September, 2003 MRI statewide poll done for NCFREE, 71% say they would support the lottery if the money were used to help education.

BOWLES AND BURR TIED IN U.S. SENATE RACE

New Hanover County voters split evenly in the race for U.S. Senate; 38% for Democrat Erskine Bowles and 38% for Republican Richard Burr. About 20% of the voters say they have not made up their minds about this race. The October, 2003 poll was also tied at 33% each. In the September, 2003 MRI statewide poll, 42% say they would vote for Bowles, 31% for Burr and 27% say they weren’t sure.

BUSH LEADS KERRY AND NADER

If the 2004 Presidential election were held today, 57% say they would vote for George W. Bush, 30% say they would vote for John Kerry, 2% say they would vote for Ralph Nader, 1% say they wouldn’t vote for either one and 18% aren’t sure how they will vote. In the October, 2003 poll, 54% said they would vote for Bush, 32% for the Democratic candidate, 1% said they had other choices and 11% said they had not made up their minds.



For a copy of the completed survey report and/or the cross-tabs of the demographics on the questions click http://appserv01.uncw.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1196 or call the IOPL office at: (910) 962-7585 or e-mail the IOPL at: devriesw@uncw.edu.