Voters were even more closely divided on their view of how a convention might play out. | Getty Images Support for constitutional convention dips to new low in Siena poll

ALBANY — While a plurality of New Yorkers still support this November’s referendum on whether the state should hold a constitutional convention, that support may be in decline. According to a poll released Friday by the Siena College Research Institute, the percentage of those who back a convention is the lowest of nine such surveys conducted over the past two years.

A total of 44 percent of registered voters support the idea, compared to 39 percent who oppose it. The previous low on the question came in a Siena poll released last month, when voters supported it 45-33.


“As half of New Yorkers continue to have heard or read nothing about the upcoming ConCon vote — down from two-thirds in July — support for ConCon continues to wane,” Siena spokesman Steve Greenberg said. “A plurality of Democrats and a bare majority of independents say they will vote yes, however, a majority of Republicans say they’re voting no. Support is greatest among young, lower income, black, and Latino voters.”

Voters were even more closely divided on their view of how a convention might play out.

Siena presented respondents with two possible scenarios. One that echoes the description of opponents — “It will be an expensive waste of time run by the same politicians, lobbyists, and special interest groups who have controlled Albany for decades. Nothing good will get done” — was seen as more likely by 45 percent of voters. The view of supporters — “It will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring our State Constitution into the 21st Century, with real public input, to improve the lives and safeguard the rights of New Yorkers" — was chosen by 44 percent.

These results are well below those from 20 years ago, when the question last appeared on the ballot. In a poll released in late September of 1997, Quinnipiac found that 49 percent of voters supported a convention, while 22 percent opposed it.

That year, a well-funded coalition of opponents — which has largely been recreated this year — made a major last-minute push, and the convention was ultimately defeated by 26 points.

One bit of good news in the poll for convention supporters came from a number of policy questions. Opponents have repeatedly highlighted the idea that opening up the constitution for debate could imperil language that protect rights. Supporters have said it’s highly unlikely that New Yorkers would ever support a document that does anything but add to these existing rights.

The results from Siena added credence to supporters’ claims.

Respondents backed a system of citizen-driven ballot initiatives 78-14, a ban on anti-abortion legislation 69-28, the addition of “gender identity, ethnicity and sex” to the list of demographic categories that are protected from discrimination 82-15, and opposed a limit on the bargaining rights of public employees by 12 points.

Additionally, they backed term limits on state legislators 81-16, term limits on statewide officials 81-17, a restriction on the ability of limited liability companies to make effectively unlimited campaign contributions 73-24, and a ban on lawmakers earning outside income 66-25. They were also asked if they’d be open to “allow[ing] for increased economic development” in the Adirondacks and Catskills; 43 percent supported the idea and 49 percent opposed it.

Two other questions that will also appear on the ballot in November drew strong support. A proposal to make it easier to strip pensions from public officials who commit felonies was backed 81-15, and one to make it easier to make infrastructure improvements in the forest preserves was supported 52-33.

Still, the margins probably aren’t enough to soothe the fears of advocates that the convention question will drag down the other two, particularly the one dealing with the Adirondacks.

Notably, the 1997 poll that was taken before support for a convention plummeted in October also asked about a ballot question on a school bond. The poll found support for the question at 68-17. It wound up failing after receiving 47 percent of the vote.

Siena also asked about Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Fifty-seven percent of voters have a favorable opinion of him and 35 percent an unfavorable one, compared with 56-37 in September. President Donald Trump was at 28-68, compared to 29-66 a month ago.

And more New Yorkers (60 percent) support the right of NFL players to kneel during the National Anthem than say that they should protest “on their own time” (38 percent).

Pollsters surveyed 789 registered voters from Sept. 25-28 and Oct. 1-2. The poll has a margin of error of 4 points.

View the crosstabs here.