Poll: Majority of Arizonans back minimum-wage hike, smoking ban

[Thom Little]

Fifty-seven percent of Arizona's registered voters believe there should be no smoking allowed in public spaces such as bars and restaurants, according to a new poll.

The poll by The Arizona Republic also showed that just 38 percent of the state's registered voters would vote to amend the state Constitution to ban gay marriages and to prohibit local governments from recognizing any legal status or allowing benefits for unmarried partners.

Seventy-six percent of voters polled also support a proposed hike of the state minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $5.95.

The newspaper's poll of 602 registered voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

There are more than a dozen citizen initiative drives now gathering signatures to qualify for the 2006 ballot.



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