Passamaquoddy racino divides Mainers in poll

Mainers are split over whether to allow the Passamaquoddy Tribe to build a gambling facility in Washington County, according to results of a poll released Thursday.

This November, voters will be asked to approve or reject a plan by the tribe for a harness racing and slots facility just off Route 1 overlooking the St. Croix River. The proposal calls for 1,500 slot machines as well as a hotel and conference center.

With less than two months remaining until Election Day, Mainers who participated in a statewide poll were almost evenly divided over the issue.

Of the 400 registered voters polled, 41.8 percent said they would vote in favor of allowing the Passamaquoddys to build the racino while 41.5 percent would vote against it.

The gap over the racino widens slightly, however, when undecided voters were asked which way they were leaning. With the “leaning” results included, the racino had the support of 47.3 percent of respondents versus 45.8 percent opposed. About 7 percent of respondents were undecided and not leaning either way.

The survey was conducted by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland as part of the firm’s regular “omnibus” poll. The poll’s margin of error was listed at plus or minus 4.9 percent.

The results were similar among respondents in both of Maine’s congressional districts.

Indian Township Passamaquoddy Gov. William Nicholas said Thursday evening he expects voter support for the ballot issue will increase as the tribe and project supporters take their message to the public.

“It’s going to be close, but as the tribe comes out and as the people of Washington County come out … and start stating what it is about, then I think you’ll start to see the difference in the polls,” Nicholas said.

Key to that message, Nicholas said, is pointing out that Hollywood Slots in Bangor has brought economic activity to the city without the crime that some people predicted.

“I think the people have recognized this as being more about fairness than about expansion of gambling,” Nicholas said.

An opponent of additional gambling opportunities in Maine said he was not surprised by the poll, however. Dennis Bailey of CasinosNo! said Mainers are often split on the issue and have been for some time. But he said the initiatives generally don’t do well as people learn more about them.

“I do think people in Maine are pretty suspicious of racino gambling,” Bailey said. “At the ballot box they really don’t do well.”

It has been a long fight for the Passamaquoddys to even get to this point.

After years of unsuccessful efforts, including voter rejection of a 2003 ballot measure, the tribe once again gained legislative support for the issue this year. Gov. John Baldacci vetoed the bill, but because the measure was the result of a citizen initiative petition drive, it will go to the voters in November.

The racino issue will be one of two referendum questions on the ballot. Pan Atlantic SMS Group did not poll respondents on the second referendum, which asks voters whether they support allowing state legislators to serve additional terms.

The firm did ask about three bond measures – for economic development, higher education and land conservation – which also will be on the November ballot. The higher education and land conservation bond measures received more than 65 percent support from respondents while the economic development bond received support from 56 percent of respondents.