Ballot Measures: Opposite Outcomes - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Two measures on North Dakota's primary ballot on Tuesday appear to be headed toward opposite outcomes, according to a poll of likely primary voters released Sunday by Valley News Live in Fargo and KFYR in Bismarck.

Measure 2, which would eliminate a variety of local taxes but require the state to replace lost revenue, is currently being rejected by an overwhelming 70% of state voters.  

Meanwhile, Measure 4, which would allow the University of North Dakota to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, is supported by a 59% majority statewide and looks likely to pass. It is worth noting the measure has much more support in Cass County and Eastern North Dakota that in the Bismarck/Mandan area or the rest of Western North Dakota.

The poll was conducted by the respected national polling firm, Mason-Dixon, last week. 

Here is how the questions were asked:

QUESTION: Measure 2 will appear on the primary ballot. It proposes eliminating property taxes, poll taxes, and acreage taxes, effective January 1, 2012.   

 The measure would require the Legislative Assembly to replace lost revenue to cities, counties, townships, school districts, and other political subdivisions with allocations of various state-level taxes and other revenues, without restrictions on how these revenues may be spent by the political subdivisions. If the election were held today, would you vote:

STATE	"YES"	"NO"	UNDECIDED
	21%	70%	9%

Democrat                  16%         75%          9%

Republican                29%        61%         10%

Independent               17%        76%          7%

QUESTION: Measure 4 will appear on the primary ballot. This measure concerns Senate Bill 2370 passed in November 2011, which repealed the legal requirement that the University of North Dakota use the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. If the election were held today, would you vote: 

– "YES", which would allow the University of North Dakota to discontinue use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, or

 – "NO", which would require the University of North Dakota to continue using the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

                         "YES"       "NO"      UNDECIDED

 STATE                     59%         36%          5%

 REGION                  "YES"       "NO"      UNDECIDED

 Fargo/Cass County        70%         26%          4%

Eastern North Dakota     63%        35%          2%

Bismarck/Mandan           55%        36%          9%

Western North Dakota     50%        44%          6%

SEX                      "YES"       "NO"      UNDECIDED

Men                       52%        44%          4%

Women                     65%        30%          5%

PARTY ID                 "YES"       "NO"      UNDECIDED

Democrat                  69%        25%          6%

Republican                46%        50%          4%

Independent               65%        29%          6%