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Poll Results: Grading the Legislature
June 2, 2004

St. Paul, Minn. —

QUESTION: How would you rate the performance of Tim Pawlenty as governor?

Option	State	Men	Women
Excellent	17%	19%	15%
Good	37%	39%	35%
Fair	32%	29%	35%
Poor	12%	11%	13%
Undecided	2%	2%	2%

QUESTION: How would you rate the performance of the Minnesota Legislature during the 2004 session?

Option	State	Men	Women
Excellent	1%	1%	1%
Good	11%	7%	15%
Fair	29%	24%	34%
Poor	53%	64%	42%
Undecided	6%	4%	8%

The Minnesota Legislature ended its 2004 regular session in mid-May. There were several issues that the Legislature did not take action on even though there was much debate.

QUESTION: Lawmakers did not pass a bill to help build new sports stadiums. Did you support or oppose this legislation?

Option	State	Men	Women
Support	40%	52%	28%
Oppose	52%	44%	60%
Not sure	8%	4%	12%

QUESTION: Lawmakers did not pass a bill creating tougher sentences for sex offenders. Did you support or oppose this legislation?

Option	State	Men	Women
Support	72%	77%	67%
Oppose	22%	18%	26%
Not sure	6%	5%	7%

QUESTION: Lawmakers did not pass a bill that would have expanded legal gambling in Minnesota. Did you support or oppose this legislation?

Option	State	Men	Women
Support	47%	53%	41%
Oppose	44%	37%	51%
Not sure	9%	10%	8%

QUESTION: Lawmakers did not pass a bill that would have banned smoking in most public places, including bars and restaurants. Did you support or oppose this legislation?

Option	State	Men	Women
Support	52%	45%	59%
Oppose	40%	47%	33%
Not sure	8%	8%	8%

QUESTION: Do you support or oppose amending the Minnesota state constitution to allow initiative and referendum, which would permit citizens to petition proposed changes to state law onto the election ballot for the voters to decide?

Option	State	Men	Women
Support	60%%	59%	61%
Oppose	27%	31%	23%
Not sure	13%	10%	16%

QUESTION: Do you support or oppose amending the Minnesota state constitution to provide that marriage or its legal equivalent would be limited to only the union of one man and one woman?

Option	State	Men	Women
Support	59%	61%	57%
Oppose	36%	35%	37%
Not sure	5%	4%	6%

QUESTION: In general, which political party do you feel acted more responsibly during the recently completed 2004 legislation session: The Democrat Farmer Labor Party or the Republican Party?

Option	State	Men	Women
Republican	26%	32%	20%
DFL	28%	27%	29%
Neither	33%	32%	34%
Not sure	13%	9%	17%

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POLL METHODOLOGY

The Mason-Dixon Minnesota Poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. of Washington, D.C. May 24 through May 26, 2004. A total of 625 registered Minnesota voters were interviewed statewide by telephone. All stated they regularly vote in state elections.

Those interviewed were selected by the random variation of the last four digits of telephone numbers. A cross-section of exchanges was utilized in order to ensure an accurate reflection of the state. Quotas were assigned to reflect voter turnout by county.

The margin for error, according to standards customarily used by statisticians, is no more than plus or minus 4 percentage points. This means that there is a 95 percent probability that the "true" figure would fall within that range if the entire population were sampled. The margin for error is higher for any subgroup, such as a regional or gender grouping.

Sample Figures:

Men 309 (49%) Women 316 (51%)

Region	Interviews
Hennepin/Ramsey counties	210 interviews
Twin Cities suburbs	150 interviews
Rochester/Southeast	70 interviews
Southwest Minnesota	60 interviews
Northwest Minnesota	64 interviews
Duluth/Northeast	71 interviews

PLEASE NOTE: This report is the property of Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research, Inc. It is not for duplication and/or redistribution. Copies of this report are available only through subscription. Subscribers are prohibited from providing this document to any third party. Any party in an unauthorized possession, engaging in unauthorized use. or involved in the unauthorized duplication or transmission of this document is subject to all applicable criminal and civil penalties.

Poll Copyright 2004, Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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