Poll finds support for state lottery

Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

TULSA, Okla. -- A majority of Oklahomans surveyed in a recent poll expressed support for a state lottery but had doubts one would increase funding for education.

The Oklahoma Poll surveyed 752 people statewide and found that 67 percent supported a state lottery. Twenty-nine percent expressed opposition and 4 percent said they were undecided.

Of those who supported a lottery proposal, 52 percent said they weren't very confident or not at all confident that education would get a boost in funding. Forty-four percent said they were very or somewhat confident that education would receive more funding.

Four percent had no response.

The fourth-quarter findings on the lottery question compared with the 62 percent support the lottery issue attracted in the third quarter of last year. The increase doesn't necessarily reflect a gain in support for a lottery because of the margin of error rate, consultant Al Soltow said.

Soltow, director of research at the University of Tulsa, said the biggest question is if the support will hold if a lottery measure goes to a vote of the people.

Oklahomans defeated a lottery proposal in 1994 by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin.