On Wednesday, the Mississippi Economic Council released results from a recent poll by the Tarrance Group showing for the first time a majority of Mississippians favor changing the state flag.
The poll was performed June 16-18, 2020. The results show a significant change in public opinion from just a year ago. Fifty-four percent (54%) of respondents said they would vote against changing the state flag 18 months ago. Now, according to this polling, fifty-five percent (55%) would support changing the state flag.
The MEC says the data supports their call for the Legislature to act this week and vote to do what a majority of Mississippians think should be done – change the flag now.
The poll also indicates that an overwhelming majority (72%) of those Mississippians polled favor a change to the state seal flag, which bears our national motto, “In God We Trust.” The state seal flag also enjoys the support of a majority of both white and black Mississippians.
“In the nearly 20 years we have held the position of changing the state flag, we have never seen voters so much in favor of change,” said Scott Waller, President of MEC. “These recent polling numbers show what people believe, and that the time has come for us to have a new flag that serves as a unifying symbol for our entire state.”
“Our state flag must be the flag for all of our people, and I cannot think of a better change for our state than to include the national motto ‘In God We Trust,’ which was also recently added to our state’s seal,” Waller added.
Virtually two-thirds or more of every demographic group supports the “In God We Trust” state seal flag – Seniors (69%), High School Graduates (67%), Republicans (63%), Conservatives (71%), Born-again Evangelicals (74%), even voters who said initially they would vote against changing the state flag (57%).
The poll also tested the “Stennis flag,” or as it is now being referred to, the “Hospitality flag,” as an option for changing the state flag in Mississippi. A plurality of Mississippians oppose the Stennis Flag as an alternative (37% to 42%), showing almost half the support level of voter support of the “In God We Trust” flag.
MEC also launched an “It’s Time” campaign today to lend support with the efforts to change the flag with a full-page ad placed in newspapers across the state. More than 100 business and industry leaders across the state are participating in the “It’s Time” campaign.
— MS Economic Council (@MECStateChamber) June 24, 2020
The Tarrance Group poll has a history of polling in Mississippi including polling that indicated that then State Rep. Steven Palazzo would upset incumbent Gene Taylor in 2008. is shown below.
Tarrance Polling Memo Final by yallpolitics on Scribd
Frank Corder
