Elon University poll measures NC policy opinions

Many North Carolinians are divided about legislation being debated by lawmakers, according to a recent poll.

A poll conducted by Elon University surveyed 467 N.C. residents on issues such as health care, gay marriage rights, the economy and other policy initiatives that have stimulated partisan debate nationwide.

“When we asked North Carolinians to identify the number one issue, it was definitely the economy,” said Mileah Kromer, assistant director for the poll.

Kromer said this opinion mirrors the sentiment across the country.

The poll also found N.C. residents are becoming more supportive of legally recognizing same-sex unions. Kromer said this follows the national pattern.

Dustin Ingalls, assistant to the director of Public Policy Polling, said his organization recently conducted a similar poll about same-sex unions nationwide.

Ingalls said of those polled, 52 percent favored some sort of civil recognition.

And 28 percent support full marriage rights, up 7 percentage points from March 2009.

But how questions are worded in a poll might influence the responses, said John Hood, president and chairman for the John Locke Foundation, a North Carolina-based think tank.

When people are polled about same-sex marriage, they might not want to appear as intolerant to gays, Hood said.

Also, respondents who do not follow the issues might be more susceptible to influence by positively or negatively worded questions, he said.

Hood said the Elon University Poll surveys a different population than other polls.

“It’s important to distinguish between North Carolinians and North Carolina voters,” he said. “Likely voters tend to be slightly better educated, slightly more affluent and somewhat older than the average person.”

The poll surveyed respondents about health care reform.

“People are not as in support of repeal as the people who support the repeal want us to think,” Kromer said.

She said many of the poll’s respondents were opposed to requiring Americans without health care insurance to pay a fine.

But 78 percent of respondents agree with establishing a national, voluntary insurance program for working adults to purchase insurance to help pay for long-term care services they might need in the future.

Kromer said she did not know what impact the poll might have.

“Our only goal is to shed light on what the average North Carolinian thinks,” she said.

Ingalls said there is no evidence polls have any direct impact or influence on legislation.

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