Colorado Voters Overwhelmingly Support Renewable Energy: Survey Shows 75% Favor Renewable Energy Initiative

Three out of four Colorado voters support a ballot initiative to require major power companies in the state to get 10 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2014, according to a just-completed statewide survey of active voters.

"Coloradans' support for a renewable energy initiative is found in all regions of the state and amongst Republicans, Democrats and Independents," said Paul Harstad of Harstad Strategic Research, Inc. who conducted the recent survey. "Colorado voters see the benefits of renewable energy sources such as wind power and perceive this requirement as a 'win-win.' "

The survey found that not only was there overwhelming support but in contrast, just 15 percent opposed such an initiative and only 10 percent are undecided.

"Coloradans have clearly cast their support for renewable energy," said Stephanie Bonin, energy advocate for Environment Colorado. "Now is the time for Colorado to step up and become a clean energy leader."

The strength of support for a renewable energy initiative is demonstrated by a solid 64 percent majority of voters continuing to favor this renewable energy initiative even after hearing six or seven common misconceptions about renewable energy.

Harstad noted that, "in my 20 years of polling, I have never seen an initiative hold up as well to a battery of criticisms as does this proposed renewable energy requirement." Harstad has won 16 out of his last 18 referenda campaigns across the nation and stated that he cannot recall seeing a weaker set of criticisms of a proposed ballot measure.

Read the results in pdf form.

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