Marijuana legalization: A rockier road in the Beaver State. Supporters of legal marijuana were up, up and away with hope as Washington voted two years ago, with pre-election polls showing pot would pass handily. It did, even piercing the “Cascade Curtain” for victories in Eastern Washington counties. The battle over legalization this year in Oregon is showing that the grass may be greener north of the Columbia River. A poll for the Oregonian and KGW, released earlier this week, showed a 44 percent in favor, 46 percent opposed, with 7 percent unsure and 2 percent who wouldn’t say. The poll of 403 registered voters was conducted by Seattle-based Elway Research, which was turning in more optimistic figures in Washington two years ago. An October 11 poll, done for Oregon Public Broadcasting and Fox, had legalization leading by a 52-41 percent margin. It was conducted by the respected DHM firm in Portland. A longtime Oregon political analyst, who asked not to be named, said of the tight fight: “The swing voters here are the same as up there two years ago. They are women, mothers, people who don’t approve of marijuana but feel all the anti-drug penalties just don’t work. “The campaign up there zeroed in on that group from the get-go. The (first) spot had a woman who said she disapproved of marijuana. Another ad featured the retired FBI guy. Here, the campaign was a little slower to engage.” Such legal figures as ex-U.S. Attorneys Kate Pflaumer and John McKay were prominent supporters of Washington’s legalization initiative. The two Oregon polls are not quite polls apart, but are a little different on who’s likely to vote. The poll by Elway assumed that 70 percent of Beaver State voters will be persons 51 years of age or older. The DHM survey was pegged to a slightly younger electorate. “Support goes down as age goes up,” Elway told the Oregonian. He found that 56 percent of those aged 18 to 34 supported legalization, and 55 percent of those 35 to 50. But aging Baby Boomers, those 51 to 64, broke against legalization by a 42-47 percent margin. Only 39 percent of seniors over 65 were supportive. Initiative 502, to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in Washington, passed with 55.7 percent of the vote. It won with over 60 percent in King County. But it also carried in such conservative places as Okanogan, Skamania, Chelan, Ferry and Whitman Counties. Elway is showing a different, and very traditional, Oregon election breakdown. Legalization leads by a 48-42 percent margin among Portland area voters. It is trailing, 41-49 percent, across the rest of the state. Washington and Colorado voted in 2012 to legalize recreational marijuana. Alaska and the District of Columbia are voting this year.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 22:59:46 +0000