A poll conducted in late May and early June by the Florida Chamber of Commerce indicated Amendment 3 is one of only four out of 13 state constitutional amendments on the November ballot that has the required 60 percent of voter support.
The amendment would give voters—not legislators—exclusive control over the future of gambling in the state. It was placed on the November ballot through a voter petition drive backed by Disney World and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
The poll showed the amendment had the support of 61 percent of voters, with 23 percent opposed and 15 percent undecided.
Amendment 13, which would ban greyhound racing in the state, had 47 percent of voter support, with 36 percent opposed and 17 percent undecided. The amendment is being contested in court by pro-dog racing groups.
Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson said voters’ positions on the 13 amendments are likely to be affected by media campaigns designed to influence voter opinion. “In other words, these numbers will change as November approaches,” he said. Wilson also noted 13 amendments is the largest number on a general election ballot since 1998. As a result, “Voter fatigue is certainly a concern of ours,” he stated. But he added the survey showed nearly nine out 10 voters said they planned to vote on the ballot measures.
Conducted by Cherry Communications between May 25 and June 2, the poll included 605 “likely” voters, including 249 Democrats, 237 Republicans and 119 others. The margin of error was 4 percentage points.
