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Simon Poll: Illinois Voters Like Recreational Marijuana and Local Leaders

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A majority of Illinois voters wants to legalize recreational marijuana according to a new poll from the Paul Simon Public Policy Instituteat SIU.

Director John Shaw says the numbers are significant.
"I guess I would just say broadly, that, you know, there is strong support for allowing the legalization of recreational use of marijuana by 2/3 of the respondents, which is candidly, a bit higher than I would have expected."
 
Sixty-six (66) percent of those surveyed favor the idea.

The Simon Institute poll shows Illinoisans are disappointed with national leaders, furious with state leaders, but approve of their local leaders.

Shaw says about 85 percent believe the state is headed in the wrong direction. And about 64 percent believe the country is headed the wrong way.
 
"But a surprising number think that their local officials are doing a pretty good job in solving the day-to-day problems of their communities. So, that suggests that on the ground level, there is far more confidence in government."

This year, Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed a tax cut measure.

But, according to the Simon Institute poll, that hasn't boosted support for the GOP in Illinois.

Shaw says Republicans tend to support tax cuts, because they believe they are good for the economy, and good policy. And Democrats are strongly opposed.
 
"There is deep skepticism that the tax cuts will boost the economy, will be good for individual tax payers, so the tax cut package that passed in Washington, has had no positive effect for Republican lawmakers as they head towards November elections."

Only 34 percent of those surveyed say they support the tax cut.

One-thousand-one (1,001) registered voters were surveyed across the state from February 19th through the 25th. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percent.

 

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