North Dakota Poll Finds 51% Support for Legalization
A poll released on Sunday by cannabis advocacy group Legalize ND shows 51 percent of North Dakota voters are likely to support the legalization of adult-use cannabis, the Grand Forks Herald reports.
According to the poll, 36 percent of respondents were opposed and 13 percent undecided.
Legalize ND is the official ballot measure campaign behind Measure 3, which aims to legalize recreational cannabis in North Dakota. Measure 3 would legalize the use, sale, possession, and distribution of cannabis for anyone 21 years or older; anyone under 21 would be subject to a new, specific subset of non-felony penalties; the measure would also legalize cannabis "paraphernalia" and allow for the expungement of criminal records for anyone whose cannabis-related crimes would have been legal under the new law.
The group's latest polling suggests a 5-point increase from the last time they polled the state in May, but opponents to Measure 3 say Legalize ND's poll results are skewed and support is not nearly so high.
Legalize ND adviser Cole Haymond said he's nonetheless encouraged by the poll results.
"The message of ending marijuana arrests is resounding in North Dakota, and these results demonstrate that voters are hearing our call for action. For months I've been saying this is not in the bag. It's not a blowout that the last two polls have suggested. We just don't think those polls have been in line with demographics of the state. Our support has grown as we got the word out. And this poll shows that we have gained." — Cole Haymond, adviser for Legalize ND, via the Grand Forks HeraldA different poll posted by The Kitchens Group in Orlando, Florida found slim margins for Measure 3. The legalization initiative has, "strong support from voters under the age of 50," pollsters said. But, "Passage of Measure 3 is greatly dependent upon the voters under the age of 50 voting..." and, "If the electorate is skewed toward the older, more conservative voters, passage could be problematic."
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Here's one hopeful thought I have about this situation: North Dakota seems like the type of place where some old-fashioned types may feel the need to save face when asked publicly about how they feel about legalization, but they may have no actual hatred toward the peaceful plant and may vote accordingly. I really hope so, anyway. I don't and will never understand the mindset of anyone who thinks that prohibition is preferable to legalization, even IF they're against the use of cannabis in general. Surely, they're not so naïve as to think that prohibition is curbing the use of cannabis... so wouldn't they at least take some comfort in the fact that when it's legal, there are people checking IDs at dispensaries, and there's regulation on edibles to "protect" kids, there are people paying taxes on it, etc? Granted, I'm not a proponent of taxation, but I think the old-fashioned types to which I referred earlier are.