Yarmouth Port, MA – A public opinion poll released today finds that voters o­n Cape Cod and the Islands who favor the Cape Wind project outnumber those who oppose it by a tally of 55% to 35%. Statewide, voters who favor the Cape Wind project outnumber those who are opposed by a margin of nearly 3 to 1.

The phone survey was conducted by Opinion Dynamics Corporation (ODC) which is based in Cambridge, MA and has satellite offices in Washington, DC and Madison, Wisconsin. ODC has conducted research for hundreds of national and international clients, including national media organizations, government agencies, public interest groups, and Fortune 500 corporations. Since its inception in 1988, ODC has become o­ne of the leading, most respected research firms in the U.S.

The poll includes results of 600 phone conversations with randomly selected Massachusetts voters, 400 of whom were o­n Cape Cod and the Islands. The phone conversations took place over the span of o­ne week from September 23 to September 30. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9% for Cape and Islands voters and a margin of error of plus or minus 6.9% for statewide voters.

Ernest Paicopolos, principal of ODC noted that, “Cape and Island voters’ awareness of the Cape Wind project ranks at an astonishingly high level (84%). This nearly universal awareness of the project reinforces the significance of the solid majorities of voters who now support the proposed project.” He also noted that “the poll was designed to record a truly objective measure of how voters feel about the Cape Wind project.”

When Cape & Islands voters were asked about Cape Wind Associates proposal to build an offshore wind farm o­n Nantucket Sound based o­nly o­n what they “now know”, 51% were in favor, 31% were opposed and 18% were undecided or didn’t know. When Cape and Islands voters were first provided with some basic information about the project -- including what supporters say and what opponents say -- and then were asked about the proposal, 55% were in favor, 35% were opposed and 10% were undecided / didn’t know.

Statewide, when voters were asked about Cape Wind Associates proposal to build an offshore wind farm o­n Nantucket Sound based o­nly o­n what they “now know”, 52% were in favor, 10% were opposed and 38% were undecided or didn’t know. When statewide voters were first provided with some basic information about the project including what supporters say and what opponents say and then were asked about the proposal, 64% were in favor, 22% were opposed and 14% were undecided / didn’t know.

The poll was commissioned by Cape Wind Associates. Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said, “These results are totally consistent with what we have found in talking with people across the Cape and Islands over the past year. Most folks support this project, and they see it as a step toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.” Gordon added “We’ll continue to work hard to get the science and facts out about this project. The more people are aware of the details of the project the stronger the support grows.”

Click here to download the full survey results (PDF, 138K). 

The Cape Wind project proposal to build America’s first offshore wind farm o­n Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound would provide, o­n average, half of the electricity used o­n Cape Cod and the Islands. For more information visit: www.capewind.org.