Poll shows support for public campaigns

A poll shows support for public campaigns for local office.

The survey by the N.C. Center for Voter Education, a nonprofit lobbying for the public campaign financing, showed 56 percent of voters supported allowing cities and towns to set up their own programs.

Under current law, municipalities must get state permission to run publicly financed campaign. Only the town of Chapel Hill has been given permission, starting with this year's elections.

A bill in the House would allow more cities and towns to set up programs.

"This bill would give municipalities the freedom to create public financing for their local elections, if they so choose," said Damon Circosta, the group's executive director.

The automated poll of 818 North Carolina voters was conducted March 2-3 by Democratic firm Public Policy Polling. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

After the jump, the wording and results.

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Q. There is a proposal in the legislature that would let municipalities across North Carolina choose whether or not to have publicly financed local elections. Would you support this?

Yes: 56 percent
No: 44 percent

Q. Generally speaking, do you support initiatives that reduce the influence of money in politics?

Yes: 80 percent
No: 20 percent