Drew Wilson
Nearly three out of four Florida voters are in favor of Amendment 1 according to the first opinion poll since the Consumers for Smart Solar initiative made the ballot in late January.
Hill Research Consultants polled 607 likely Florida voters and found 73 percent support for the amendment.
“We are proud to have more than 1 million voters on record in support of our Smart Solar Amendment,” said Consumers for Smart Solar Co-Chairman Dick Batchelor. “And, we are delighted with the overwhelming voter support for Amendment 1 that was found in this survey.”
The group said the poll “showed strong support for the amendment across all party, geographic and demographic groups.” About 15 percent of respondents said they were against the amendment.
Consumers for Smart Solar also touted endorsements from associations including the Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition, the 60 Plus Association and the Florida Chapter of the NAACP.
“Solar is an essential part of Florida’s energy future, but we don’t think Floridians should have to sacrifice basic consumer protections to enjoy greater access to solar,” said consumers coalition member Matthew Carter. “At a time when the use of such equipment is rapidly increasing, protecting all electricity consumers regarding the use of solar is essential.”
The amendment is set to go before the Florida Supreme Court March 7 for oral arguments on ballot language. Consumers for Smart Solar, a group backed by Florida utility companies, gathered more than 683,000 signatures from Florida voters and made the ballot as Amendment 1 on Jan. 22.
