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MT 12 October 2014

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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2014 News 11 ing if a referendum is held on this issue. But the survey shows a five-point increase among those opposed to the Spring hunting ban, and there was a drop in the percentage of undecided. This suggests that a number of pro hunting respondents have shifted from not voting in the referendum to voting against the ban. The surveys confirms that the vast majority of PN voters (73%) will vote for the ban on Spring hunting while a majority of La- bour voters (51%) will vote against the ban. Among Labour voters the per- centage of those intent on not voting in the referendum has dropped from 17% last month to just 4% now while those opposed to the ban on Spring hunting in- creased from 43% to 51%. The percentage of Labour vot- ers supporting the ban has also increased from 35% to 39%. The survey confirms that uni- versity educated respondents re- main firmly opposed to hunting. Among this group the percent- age of those in favour of a ban on Spring hunting has increased from 70% to 83%. 59% want referendum on same day of local elections An absolute majority of 59% of respondents want the referendum to be held on the same day as next year's local elections. Only 25% would prefer a stand- alone referendum, an option first proposed by the hunting lobby in June, in what was interpreted as a strategy to diminish voter turn- out. But a relative majority of re- spondents (43%) agree with the idea floated by the government of postponing local elections due in 2015 and 2017 to 2019. Effectively this would mean that the referen- dum will be stand-alone and won't coincide with local elections. This suggests that a segment of respondents gave contradictory replies, by first saying they are in favour of the referendum being held on the same day as local elec- tions and then agreeing with the proposal to postpone local elec- tions to 2019. An analysis of results shows that a majority of labour voters agree with both postponing local elec- tions and holding the referendum on the same day as next year's lo- cal elections. On the other hand the vast ma- jority of Nationalist voters are against postponing elections and in favour of holding the referen- dum in conjunction with next year's local elections. University educated respond- ents are also firmly in favour of holding the referendum with lo- cal elections next year (83%) and firmly against postponing local elections to 2019 (72%). The relative majority in favour of postponing elections to 2019 suggests that voters are showing signs of electoral fatigue or com- placency. But the fact that only 43% agree with the postponement shows that no consensus agrees to postpone these elections. But the survey suggests that despite the attempts of the Nationalist op- position to score points on this issue, the electorate has remained passive, with one in every four re- plying "don't know" when asked whether they agree or not. On the other hand the fact that a vast majority of respondents want the referendum to be held on the same day as next year's local elec- tions suggests that respondents may be less complacent if they see the postponement of local elec- tions as an attempt to derail the spring hunting referendum. Methodological note The survey was held between Mon- day 6 and Thursday 9 October. 671 respondents were contacted by tel- ephone. 400 accepted to be inter- viewed. The results were weighed to reflect the gender and age balance of the population. The survey has a margin of error of +/-4.9 points. decision to suspend hunting season News mt survey 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 69.2 53.7 72.7 59.4 7 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Do you agree with the government's decision to stop the spring hunting season? 7.6 45.5 42.5 The referendum on Spring hunting should be stand alone or held together with next year's local elections? PN PL Switchers All With local elections 68.3 55.5 81.8 59.1 Stand alone 23.8 32.7 18.2 24.9 Don't Know 8 11.8 0 16 According to level of education University Post Sec Sec. Prim. With local elections 82.8 54.5 60.7 50.6 Stand alone 17.2 20.4 26.4 27 Don't Know 0 25.1 12.9 22.4 mt survey PN voters PL voters Switchers All University Post-Sec Secondary Primary How do you intend to vote in the Spring hunting referendum? July '13 June '14 Sep '14 Oct '14 To abolish spring hunting 59.9 44.1 50.2 49.2 To keep spring hunting 28.1 32.3 26.9 31.6 Won't Vote 0 6,1 15 10 Don't Know 12.1 17.6 7.9 9.2 PN Voters PL Voters Switchers All To abolish spring hunting 73.3 39.1 54.5 49.2 To keep spring hunting 20.5 50.8 36.4 31.6 Won't vote 3.1 3.4 9.1 10 Don't Know 3.1 6.7 0 9.2 According to level of education Uni. Post Sec. Sec. Primary To abolish spring hunting 82.8 45.5 47.9 29.2 To keep spring hunting 17.3 18.2 37.4 49.4 Won't vote 0 13.6 4.3 12.4 Don't know 0 22.7 10.4 9 Should local elections due in 2015 and 2017 be postponed to 2019? PN PL Switchers All Yes 17 64.7 45.5 42.5 No 75.4 14.3 18.2 33.8 Don't Know 7.6 21 36.3 23.7 According to level of education: University Post Sec. Sec. Primary Yes 27.6 34.1 42.9 50.6 No 72.4 36.4 34.4 24.7 Don't know 0 29.5 22.7 15 YES, AGREE NO, DISAGREE DON'T KNOW 69.2 53.7 72.7 59.4 69.2 53.7 72.7 59.4 23.1 37 27.3 28.9 27.6 29.5 39.3 7.7 9.3 11.7 13.7 12.3 13.7 11.3

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