A new University of North Florida poll released Thursday morning shows the majority of registered voters oppose removing Confederate statues in Jacksonville.
Approximately 53 percent of registered Duval County voters oppose removing Confederate statues from public spaces while 38 percent support their removal.
UNF Public Opinion Research Lab Director Dr. Michael Binder said there were “sizable partisan and racial differences on the issue.”
Opposition is stronger among registered Republicans at 83 percent, while 56 percent of registered Democrats said in the survey they supported removal of the statues.
Of the white registered voters, 68 percent that took part in the surveyed opposed removing the Confederate statues, and 62 percent of African-American registered voters supported their removal from public spaces.
The Jax Speaks Poll 2017 also looked at approval ratings for Jacksonville’s local leaders.
69 percent of voters strongly approve or somewhat approve of the job Mayor Lenny Curry is doing. City Council received a 50 percent approval.
Sheriff Mike Williams received a 67 percent approval rating while 55 percent of respondents approved of the job State Attorney Melissa Nelson is doing.
For the third consecutive year the poll found the highest percentage of respondents view crime as Jacksonville’s most important issue.
Related: Complete Jax Speaks Poll 2017 results
UNF’s Public Opinion Research Lab says the poll’s sampling error is plus or minus 4.3 percent. Overall, there were 512 completed surveys which were conducted October 2 – 5.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
