A poll released on Tuesday shows Amendment 2, which would expand medical marijuana use in Florida, would pass by the skin of its teeth if the vote were held today. The poll offers insights on other issues impacting the Sunshine State as well.
Public Policy Pollings (PPP) new poll shows Amendment 2 getting 61 percent support, while 33 percent of those surveyed are opposed to it. The proposed amendment needs 60 percent on the November ballot to pass.
PPP polls taken earlier this year found Amendment 2 in better shape. In January, 65 percent of those PPP surveyed supported it and 23 percent opposed it. In June, PPP found 66 percent of those surveyed backed Amendment 2 and 25 percent opposed it.
The new poll also shows Florida voters support raising the minimum wage. Asked if they back raising it to $10 an hour, just below the $10.10 federal minimum wage proposal offered by President Barack Obama, most of those surveyed -- 63 percent -- say they do. While 7 percent are not sure, 29 percent of those surveyed oppose raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour.
The poll also shows more than three-fifths of those surveyed -- 61 percent -- want the state government to accept federal dollars to expand Medicaid coverage throughout Florida. However, 29 percent oppose the idea, with 13 percent not sure.
The poll of 818 likely Florida voters was taken Sept. 4-7 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percent. One major caveat: The sample includes 40 percent Democrats and 38 percent Republicans though the GOP voters usually turn out more in off-year elections.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
