Floridians support raising the minimum wage in Florida, mixed about their views when it comes to Amendment 4 and the requirements passed by state lawmakers for having the voting rights of ex-felons restored, and support allowing recreational marijuana usage in Florida. Those are findings of the latest Quinnipiac University poll.
The poll also shows Gov. Ron DeSantis still enjoying high approval ratings and indicates Floridians believe the state must do more to deal with gun violence, including banning assault weapons.
DeSantis ratings show Florida voters approve 55 – 22 percent of the job the new governor is doing.
Approval ratings for Florida’s two U.S. senators are mixed. Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott both have divided job approval ratings with 45 percent approve of Rubio and 41 percent disapprove. For Scott, 41 percent approve and 44 percent disapprove.
Florida voters support a proposed constitutional amendment that would eventually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by a margin of 76 – 20 percent.
“Maybe it’s because so many Floridians remember their first minimum wage job. Whatever the reason, three-quarters of Sunshine State voters think the minimum wage in the state needs to be higher. Many voters, however, aren’t ready to go as high as $15 per hour,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
“There is much less agreement on the question of whether felons who have finished their prison sentences must pay fees, fines and restitution in order to vote,” Brown added.
Florida voters are divided on whether they support or oppose requirements enacted by the Legislature for implementing Amendment 4. Felons who have finished their prison terms must pay all fines, fees and restitution related to their case before they are allowed to vote. Forty-five percent support the payment requirement, with 47 percent opposed. Men support the measure 50 – 43 percent, with women opposed 49 – 41 percent. White voters support payment before voting 51 – 42 percent, while black voters are opposed 61 – 37 percent. Hispanic voters are divided as 40 percent support it and 51 percent oppose it.
Support is 69 – 22 percent among Republicans, with Democrats opposed 70 – 24 percent and independent voters split as 43 percent support payment and 48 percent oppose it.
Florida voters support 65 – 30 percent allowing adults to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Quinnipiac notes that’s an all-time high in the state,
Republicans are divided 48 – 48 percent, as every other listed group supports the measure. Voters would support 61 – 34 percent the sale of legal marijuana in their community.
Florida voters support 59 – 36 percent a ban on the sale of assault weapons in the state.
Florida needs to do more to address gun violence, 72 percent of voters say, as 21 percent say the state is doing enough and 2 percent say the state is doing too much.
Voters oppose 57 – 39 percent “allowing trained teachers and school officials to carry guns on school grounds.”
And stricter gun laws would do more to reduce gun violence in schools than arming teachers, Florida voters say 55 – 34 percent.
Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,279 Florida voters from June 12 to 17 with a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points.