North Carolina voters are fairly evenly split on privatizing the ABC system versus keeping it state-run according to our poll for January.
47% say keep the government in charge.
44% say let private businesses run it.
This issue presents a bit of a double-edged sword for many rural legislators, especially Republicans. While just about everyone agrees that the system needs reform (see Performance Evaluation Division report here), there is a danger of alienating the conservative religious voters who do not want widespread availability of hard liquor.
Yes, NC is a changing state, but there are still many elements of the old Bible Belt still alive as this issue shows. Just take a look at the breakdown by religion:
Baptists say keep ABC system by a 57-35 margin. But Catholics favor privatization by a 66-23 margin.
Full press release here. Crosstabs and other fun data here.
My question is one of clarity. Does the voting public understand the current ABC system? Do they know what privatization would mean? As a former commissioner, I can testify that much of the public is unaware of how the ABC system is currently set up and doesn’t understand the difference in how public/private would be manifest.