Poll: ND Ballot Measures 4 And 5 Get Strong Majority Support From Voters

Tweet

Written By:
Rob Port

Oct 10, 2012
6:13pm

Measures to create a statewide smoking ban and create tougher animal cruelty laws both enjoy strong majority support according to a Mason-Dixon poll sponsored by Valley News Live, and there aren’t a lot of people left undecided.

QUESTION: Measure 4 on the November ballot would prohibit smoking, including the use of electronic smoking devices, in public places and most places of employment in the state, including certain outdoor areas. If the election were held today, would you vote:
– “YES” to approve the measure
– “NO” to reject the measure

“YES” 62%
“NO” 35%
UNDECIDED 3%

QUESTION: Measure 5 on the November ballot would make it a Class C felony for any individual to maliciously and intentionally harm a living dog, cat or horse. The measure would not apply to production agriculture, the lawful activities of hunters and trappers, licensed veterinarians, scientific researchers or to individuals engaged in lawful defense of law or property. If the election were held today, would you vote:
– “YES” to approve the measure
– “NO” to reject the measure

“YES” 66%
“NO” 27%
UNDECIDED 7%

Some pretty depressing numbers for proponents of limited government. The smoking issue, in so far as it was about giving non-smokers a choice not to be around smoking, has long since been solved. Smoking is all but non-existent in restaurants, and there are plenty of non-smoking bars in communities around the state. The anti-smoking activists have long since shifted into full-on prohibitionist mode, aiming to eradicate smoking entirely from our society.

And, at least according to this poll, North Dakotans seem to be going along with it.

Measure 5 is less surprising in that of course most people are against animal cruelty. The problem with this law is that there isn’t really an animal cruelty problem in the United States, and the measure is written so vaguely that it would give a toehold in the state for the real agenda of the extreme animal rights groups pushing this, which is obstruction of ranching and hunting. A coalition of ranching, agriculture, veterinarian and hunting groups have formed to oppose the measure, but it may be too little too late with so many people already having made up their minds.

No polling on the other three measures on the ballot (read my summary of the measures here). And still no polling from Valley News Live on the state’s Public Service Commission race, which is sort of glaring in its omission.