Support strong for lottery, death penalty in N.C., Elon
University Poll finds
A majority of North Carolinians are
in favor of a new state lottery scheduled to begin in 2006,
despite the ethical questions surrounding public officials
and the creation of the lottery, and the death penalty is
supported as the appropriate punishment for people found
guilty of first-degree murder by a majority of citizens.
These are the findings of the latest
Elon University Poll, conducted Nov. 14-17 by the Elon
University Institute for Politics and Public Affairs.
Telephone interviews were conducted with 488 North
Carolinians, with a margin of error of plus/minus 4.53
percent.
Sixty-nine percent of
state residents said they support or strongly support a
lottery, despite the recent ethical problems associated with
the formation of a lottery commission. Support for the
lottery was consistent in each region of the state, with
support the strongest in eastern North Carolina at 73
percent. Lottery support was measured at 69 percent in
central N.C. and 65 percent in western N.C.
“Contrary to conventional
wisdom, support for the lottery is strongest down
east,” said Hunter Bacot, director of the Elon
University Poll. “Perhaps we are seeing this because of
the promise the lottery holds for improving schools, and this
need is greater down east than anywhere else in the
state.”
The ethical questions surrounding
the creation of a state lottery commission has not affected
public confidence in the commission’s ability to
operate the game. Sixty-three percent of North Carolinians
say they have some confidence or a lot of confidence in the
lottery commission, compared with 30 percent who said they
had not much confidence or no confidence. A similar number of
respondents, 63 percent, said they had some confidence or a
lot of confidence in the state government’s ability to
operate the lottery.
“These findings on the lottery
suggest that either people are not aware of the controversy
over the lottery, or perhaps they really just don’t
care about the events surrounding its start-up,” said
Bacot. “Either way, the politics surrounding the
lottery and the lottery commission have not dampened its
support among North Carolinians. From these findings, it
appears citizens just want the games to begin.”
The poll also found support for the
death penalty in North Carolina remains high. Sixty-one
percent of those surveyed said execution is the most
appropriate punishment for first-degree murderers, while 27
percent said life in prison without the possibility of parole
is appropriate.
“This really
shouldn’t be much of a surprise, since North Carolina
is among the 10 states with the most people on death
row,” said Bacot.
When asked if they support or oppose
the death penalty for people convicted of first-degree
murder, 64 percent supported the death penalty while 24
percent opposed it.
Support for the death penalty was
consistent regionally across North Carolina—66 percent
in eastern N.C., 62 percent in central N.C., and 69 percent
in western N.C.
“Public officials and the
governor are in line with residents on the death
penalty,” said Bacot. “North Carolina is one of
the leaders in this policy area, so these sentiments from the
public should not be all that surprising. Recognizing the
cultural diversity across the different regions of the state,
however, it is interesting that the figures are all quite
similar throughout the state.”
A majority of citizens opposed the
death penalty for criminals under the age of 18, however.
Fifty-five percent oppose or strongly oppose the death
penalty for minors under 18, while 34 percent voiced support
or strong support.
“Clearly, there seems to be a
distinction in most people’s minds between a youth and
an adult,” said Bacot. “This suggests that North
Carolinians, despite their tendency to support the death
penalty, may be in line with the recent Supreme Court
decision in Roper v. Simmons which ruled it unconstitutional
to execute a minor.”
The
Elon University Poll, which began in September 2000, is
operated by the Elon Institute for Politics and Public
Affairs. The Elon University Center for Public Opinion houses
the Elon University Poll and conducts frequent statewide
public opinion surveys on issues of importance to North
Carolinians. The survey results are shared with media,
citizens, and researchers to facilitate informed public
policy making through the better understanding of the
opinions and attitudes of North Carolina citizens. By
conducting several public opinion surveys annually, the Elon
University Poll continually contributes to the advancement of
North Carolina and its citizens, which further enhances its
status as the poll of record in North Carolina.
Interviews for the Elon Poll are
conducted by students who work under the supervision of
faculty members in the political science department. A
computerized polling center located on campus is equipped
with sophisticated statistical software and 38 telephone
polling stations.
