Poll shows Kay Ivey, Katie Britt hold commanding leads
A survey conducted by the polling firm Cygnal for Alabama Daily News and Gray Television showed Gov. Kay Ivey, Katie Britt, and other Republican candidates holding lopsided leads in next week’s general election.
Alabama Daily News released the results today on its Inside Alabama Politics report.
Cygnal conducted the survey Oct. 27-29 with 616 likely general election voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.94 percent. Cygnal interviewed registered voters through interactive voice response and text message. The survey was weighted to a likely general election universe, the report said.
In the governor’s race, Ivey, who is seeking a second four-year term, was the choice of 59.5 percent of respondents, to 25.3 percent for Democrat Yolanda Flowers, and 4.7 percent for Libertarian Jimmy Blake.
In the race for U.S. Senate, Britt was the choice of 57.1 percent, Democrat Will Boyd 27.5 percent, and Libertarian John Sophocleus 6.3 percent.
Attorney General Steve Marshall, the Republican nominee seeking re-election, was picked by 57.9 percent to 29.7 percent for Democrat Wendell Major, with 12.4 percent undecided.
Rep. Wes Allen of Troy, the Republican nominee for secretary of state, received the nod from 51.7 percent of respondents to 29.6 percent for Democrat Pamela Laffitte, and 4.6 percent from Libertarian Jason “Matt” Shelby.
In the race for an open seat on the Alabama Supreme Court, Republican Greg Cook polled at 58 percent to 30.2 percent for Democrat Anita Kelly.
The poll results follow a trend more than a decade old. Republicans hold every statewide office in Alabama and three-fourths of the seats in the Legislature.
The survey showed 53.8 percent of respondents said they would vote to ratify the Alabama Constitution of 2022, a recompiled version of the 1901 Constitution that eliminates repealed sections and amendments, organizes amendments, and strikes some racist language. The survey showed 15.5 percent opposed to the recompilation and 30.7 percent were undecided.
The poll showed support for Statewide Amendment 1 on the ballot, one of 10 statewide amendments voters will decide. It would change Section 16 of the Constitution, which says that all criminal defendants have a right to bail unless they are charged with a capital offense. Amendment 1 would add a list of serious offenses that could result in a person being held without bail. The poll showed 66.6 of respondents support Amendment 1, with 12.3 percent opposed and 21.1 percent undecided.
Statewide Amendment 2 would allow cities and counties to use federal funds to provide grants to private companies to help expand access to high-speed internet. It would provide an exception to Section 94 of the constitution, which prohibits cities and counties from providing funds or a thing of value to private companies. The survey showed 56 percent of respondents support Amendment 2, with 13.2 percent opposed and 30.8 percent undecided.