September 05, 2006

Abstract: - Voters in the Grand Canyon State appear ready to endorse four changes to their legislation through the ballot box, according to a poll by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University released by KAET-TV. 76 per cent of respondents support automatically keeping undocumented immigrants in jail without bail if they commit serious criminal offences.

- Voters in the Grand Canyon State appear ready to endorse four changes to their legislation through the ballot box, according to a poll by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University released by KAET-TV. 76 per cent of respondents support automatically keeping undocumented immigrants in jail without bail if they commit serious criminal offences.

In addition, 67 per cent of respondents would amend the state's constitution to make English the official language of Arizona, and 61 per cent would prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving punitive damages in lawsuits. 50 per cent of respondents are in favour of a proposal to forbid undocumented immigrants from taking state-funded, adult-education classes, or paying in-state tuition.

A plan to amend the Arizona constitution to ban same-sex marriages and bar governmental entities from providing employee benefits to unmarried partners is rejected by 51 per cent of respondents.

The election is scheduled for Nov. 7. Arizona will also choose its governor and a United States senator. Incumbents Janet Napolitano and Jon Kyl are contending.

Polling Data

We would like to know if you probably will vote for or against each of the following initiatives that will appear on the ballot this fall.

Proposition 100 would automatically keep undocumented immigrants in jail without bail if they commit serious criminal offences. Will you probably support or oppose this proposition?

Support	76%
Oppose	15%
Don't know	9%

Proposition 103 would amend the state's constitution to make English the official language of Arizona and would require most state business to be conducted only in English. Will you probably support or oppose this proposition?

Support	67%
Oppose	27%
Don't know	6%

Proposition 102 would prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving punitive damages in lawsuits. Will you probably support or oppose this proposition?

Support	61%
Oppose	26%
Don't know	13%

Proposition 300 would prevent undocumented immigrants from taking English and other state-funded, adult-education classes and would not allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition. Will you probably support or oppose this proposition?

Support	50%
Oppose	35%
Don't know	15%

Proposition 107 would amend the Arizona constitution to ban same-sex marriages and would bar governmental entities such as cities, counties, school districts and universities from providing employee benefits to unmarried partners. Will you probably support or oppose this proposition?

Support	38%
Oppose	51%
Don't know	11%

Source: Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University / KAET-TV
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 846 registered Arizona voters, conducted from Aug. 24 to Aug. 29, 2006. Margin of error is 5 per cent.