Oct 22, 2008 5:36 pm US/Eastern
Poll: Majority Of Md. Voters Back Slots Referendum
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) ―
-
-
A Washington Post poll shows a majority of Maryland voters support a referendum that would legalize slot machines in the state.
A Washington Post poll shows a majority of Maryland voters support a referendum that would legalize slot machines in the state.
Pat Warren has the latest.
A long-running ad urging voters to shore up public schools with slot machines appears to be working, judging from the latest poll on Ballot Question 2, which asks voters to approve slots.
The poll found that 62 percent of likely voters expressed support for the measure on the Nov. 4 ballot, but 36 percent said they would vote against it. Two percent said they are undecided. The poll was conducted in the same period that the paper's editorial board said voters should continue to resist the glow of slot machines and the false promise they represent.
Gov. Martin O'Malley has portrayed the constitutional amendment legalizing slots as part of a solution to the state's fiscal problems. But opponents say legalization will lead to increased crime, gambling addiction and other problems.
A technology entrepreneur who wants to buy Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, for example, says he will not have slot machines at Laurel if he acquires the race tracks.
Minor Ventures and CNET co-founder Halsey Minor says he wants to buy Magna Entertainment Corp.'s U.S. operations. Aurora, Ontario-based Magna is having financial problems and owns Pimlico and Laurel.
Minor briefed Comptroller Peter Franchot, an adamant slots opponent, on Wednesday about his hopes to acquire the Maryland racetracks.
Minor says if he were given the opportunity to install slot machines he "would rather go to jail then implement them."
The Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone from Thursday through Monday, among a random sample of 1,005 adults living in Maryland. The margin of error for the 885 registered voters is plus or minus three percentage points. Error margins are larger for subgroups.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Great NFL Hair
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
