A new public opinion survey by the Star Tribune shows that a third of Minnesotans remain unsure about whether or not the first copper-nickel mine proposed in Minnesota should be permitted.
While the number of undecided respondents is high, the survey did show that more than there are twice as many supporters of the mine than opponents. Forty-six percent of people surveyed said they support the proposal, while 21 percent oppose it.
A representative from the polling firm which conducted the poll says the number of undecided responses is very high. The 33 percent undecided rate is much higher than with other hot issues included in the poll. On questions of topics like raising the minimum wage and medical marijuana, less than 10 percent of respondents were undecided.
J. Brad Coker of Mason-Dixon Polling and Research stated that it’s either that people are unsure about the balance of economic development and environmental protection, or still don’t feel like they know enough to decide.
The poll surveyed 800 Minnesota adults between Feb. 10 and 12, and has a margin of error of 3.5 percent. View more details about the results here.