Center for the Study of Local Issues

101 College Parkway, Arnold MD 21012
www.aacc.edu/csli
410-777-2733, 410-777-2407, ddnataf@aacc.edu

Web panelists and others:

The results for the spring/summer 2009 online survey are included below.  We received a total of 107 completed survey out of 419 valid email addresses, for a response rate of 25.5%. 

Using the standard estimates of error applicable to telephone surveys for a randomly chosen sample, the margin of error for this survey would be 9.3% at the 95% confidence interval. 

As Web panelists know, all the participants for this survey were asked to participate based on email addresses they volunteered during prior telephone surveys conducted by the center.  Thus, the core of a randomly derived sample remained, even though some population elements - particularly those without Internet connections or email addresses - were excluded.

Since CSLI does not generally distribute results with such a high margin of error, no press release has been sent out to the mass media or others on our distribution list.  These sample results may NOT necessarily provide an accurate guide to the state of public opinion in Anne Arundel County at this time.  They should therefore be taken only as a result of our survey using the methodology mentioned.  I have written a longer analysis of these results, comparing them to the spring telephone survey as well as to results for our previous online survey in 2008.  This report is available by request.  Please email your request to me (ddnataf@aacc.edu), and I will send you the file.

To all our Web panelists, thank you for helping us with this survey.  These results will be discussed with students in various classes.  Our hope is to build up our database of Web panelists so that our sample size can reach a 5 percent margin of error - 384 completions.  If you would like to comment about this or any other CSLI survey, please email me or reach me at the telephone number below.

Dan Nataf, PhD
Director, Center for the Study of Local Issues
Careers 132
Anne Arundel Community College
101 College Parkway
Arnold, MD 21012
410.777.2733
ddnataf@aacc.edu

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1. The first set of questions asks you to indicate whether the county, state and county are headed in the 'right' or 'wrong' directions.

2. The next set of questions asks you to rate economic conditions in the county, state and country as either excellent, good, fair or poor.

3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the following elected officials are handling their jobs in office?

4. Thinking about the future of slot machines in Maryland,
please answer the following questions.

Did you support the referendum last November which was meant to
legalize slot machines in Maryland?

Yes   43%     No   57%

5.1 If you said ‘yes’ (others skip to 5.3 below) which of the following statements best captures your way of thinking?

     65%  I supported the legalization of slots primarily because I wanted state government to capture the money that was going out of state so that Maryland could better fund programs without new taxes

      35%I only supported the legalization of slots if the facilities would be located mostly at existing race tracks.   I opposed other locations and would not support slots other than at race tracks.

5.2 The current proposal to build a slots facility in Anne Arundel County comes from the Cordish (development) group and would place the facility at Arundel Mills mall.

If you said ‘yes’ to the legalization of slots, which best captures your current thinking about the Cordish plan?

19%  I support the placement of slot machines at Arundel Mills under all circumstances.

34%I only support the placement of slot machines at Arundel Mills as long
    as safety and traffic issues are addressed.

47%I do not support the placement of slot machines at Arundel Mills under any conditions

=>5.3 Have you played on slot machines at least once in the last year?

          22% Yes    78% No

6.  Have you visited Arundel Mills mall at least once in the last two months?

           48% Yes     52%  No

6.1. Would you be inclined to vote against a county council representative who voted in favor of putting slots at Arundel Mills – or would that just be one factor to consider among many?

            33% Would vote against a county council representative if he/she votes in favor of slots at Arundel Mills.

          59%  Would be only one factor to consider when voting.

          8%  Would vote in favor of a county council representative if he/she votes in favor of slots at Arundel Mills.

7.  Age years

8.  Overall, which of the following best describes your political beliefs?

9.  For which political party, if any, are you registered to vote?

 10.  Household income range:

11.  Education

12.  Marital Status

13.  Regarding race, how would you describe yourself? 

14.1 Gender

        43% Male         56% Female

15.  What is your zip code?  (see below)