Kids & Family

Poll: New Yorkers Want Abortion Rights, Legalized Marijuana and Casinos

New York State voters back Cuomo on abortion 3-1, Quinnipiac University Poll finds.

This article was written by C. Zawadi Morris.

According to findings of a Quinnipiac University Poll released today, 67 percent of voters support Cuomo’s proposal to expand abortion rights, while 70 percent support legalizing medicinal marijuana and 51 percent support Atlantic City-style casinos in the state.   

Support for the expanded abortion right is 77 - 14 percent among Democrats and 70 - 21 percent among independent voters. Republicans are divided 46 - 45 percent.             

When offered four choices on abortion: 
26 percent of voters say abortion should be legal in all cases. 
36 percent say legal in most cases.
20 percent say illegal in most cases.
9 percent say illegal in all cases. 

"Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he wants to establish Roe v. Wade in state law in case the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark decision and voters are with him on its controversial support for late-term abortions," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "On abortion overall, the numbers don't change much: a small right-to-life minority, a larger abortion-on-demand minority, a majority in the middle saying it depends on the case."    

And although everyone has an opinion on legalizing Atlantic City-type casinos in New York State with support at 51-39 percent, 55-41 percent oppose having casino gambling in the town or city where they live.   

"New Yorkers are OK with Atlantic City-type casinos, but not in my backyard," Carroll said. "They are divided on changing the State Constitution, which must happen if they want casinos. New York City voters are not enthusiastic about changing the Constitution and lots of them will be voting in November because there are races for mayor, City Council and city-wide offices. Even upstate voters, presumably with the most to gain from casinos, are lukewarm."   

New York State voters say legalizing medical marijuana with a doctor's prescription is a good idea at 70-26 percent, including 58-39 percent among Republicans.


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