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PARKERSBURG -- A controversial issue in the natural gas industry has support of a majority of likely voters in West Virginia, according to a poll by Orion Strategies.
The survey also found nearly three-quarters of voters support the election of members to the state Board of Education. Members are appointed by the governor.
The poll, taken this past weekend, on the issue of co-tenancy showed 64 answered yes and 22 percent said no when asked a question in a scenario where seven of 10 people jointly owning a tract of mineral rights wanted to sell and the other three did not. Respondents were asked if the seven who wish to sell have the right to do so if the other three would be paid their proportionate share of the compensation.
Results according to party affiliation were: 66 percent of Democrats surveyed said yes, 23 said no; 54 percent of independents said yes and 20 percent said no; and 68 percent of Republicans said yes and 20 said no.
Co-tenancy, and forced pooling, have been opposed by the West Virginia Farm Bureau and the West Virginia Surface Owners Rights Organization.
Orion Strategies on Wednesday released the first part of the survey that said President Trump has a 51 percent approval rating among voters in West Virginia, down from 58 percent a year ago. Responses on legislative issues were released on Thursday.
Telephone interviews were held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday of 365 likely voters in all counties of West Virginia. The margin of error is 5.1 percent.
On the issue of electing members of the state board of education, 73 percent of voters support changing the law to require it be elective, the poll said. Twenty-one percent believe the board should be appointed.
A recent criticism is representation on the board is heavy with residents from southern West Virginia. Of the nine appointed members, four are from southern West Virginia, two from Morgantown and two are from Charleston.
The three non-voting members of the board are the state superintendent of schools and the chancellors of the Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.
Bills are pending in the House and Senate to make the board elective.
Among other issues, the poll found a majority of likely voters supported the legalization of marijuana, Graham Godwin of Orion Strategies said. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the past month said the federal government was going to crack down on states that allowed the use of marijuana.
"West Virginia voters support the legalization of marijuana, for medicinal use if prescribed by a doctor, at a rate of 67 percent and 30 percent against," Godwin said. "That is a 6-point increase over a similar poll conducted one year ago."
When asked if marijuana should be legal for recreational use by adults 21 and over, West Virginia voters have increased their support to 34 percent in favor and 62 percent against. A year ago the numbers were 26 percent in favor and 70 percent against.
On questions about opioid issues in West Virginia:
* 53 percent of voters believe the opioid/drug epidemic has gotten worse and 34 percent believe it has remained the same. Only 5 percent believe it has improved.
* 49 percent of respondents believe that medically-assisted treatments should be given priority in dealing with opioid and heroin addiction, with 33 percent suggesting abstinence only programs.
* 41 percent of respondents say that addiction is a moral weakness and 33 percent believe it is a medical condition. 19 percent suggested that it is both.
* 67 percent of West Virginia voters know someone who is suffering, or who has suffered from addiction to oxycodone, heroin or other opioids.
* 73 percent of respondents support providing free long-term birth control to women addicted to opioids
Thirty-six of respondents believe the opioid and drug epidemic is the main reason why the state's economy lags behind the nation's, followed by 17 percent who cite the state's reliance on fossil fuel industries, 14 percent blaming the state's lack of highway infrastructure and 12 percent listing the state's lack of a college-educated workforce.
Seventy-two percent of respondents believe teacher compensation in West Virginia was too low, 19 percent reporting it was about right and only 2 percent saying it was too high.
Voters in West Virginia believe that the state is heading in the right direction by a 44 percent plurality with 38 percent saying it is not.
Only 20 percent of respondents reported that they had watched Gov. Jim Justice's State of the State speech on Jan. 10. Of those who viewed it, 54 percent positively rated it.