A nationwide public opinion poll found that eight out of 10 Americans said they were more likely to vote for candidates that support ethanol.  The poll also demonstrated strong public support for the increased use of ethanol and a requirement to add ethanol to all gasoline.  Support for ethanol was found to be fairly consistent across all geographic areas, political affiliations, and age groups. 

According to the poll, 57 percent of voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports ethanol while only 12 percent would be less likely to support a pro-ethanol candidate.  For people who said ethanol would impact their voting decision, 82 percent said they are more likely to vote for the candidate who supports the increased use of ethanol.  This finding was steady across geographic regions, with the strongest support coming from independents.  Of the independents that said ethanol would make a difference, 84 percent are more likely to vote for candidates who support the increased use of ethanol.

Of those surveyed, 62 percent said they were familiar with ethanol.  Of these, 77 percent, or nearly eight out of 10 Americans, had a favorable opinion of ethanol, compared with only 15 percent with unfavorable opinions.  This finding was consistent across all geographic regions.

The poll also demonstrated that 78 percent of Americans support encouraging ethanol use over maintaining our reliance on foreign oil.  Eighty-one percent of Republicans, 78 percent of Democrats, and 77 percent of Independents favor the increased use of ethanol over continuing the nation's reliance on foreign oil.

When asked whether the government should require a small percentage of ethanol in all gasoline or allow the oil companies to decide whether to use ethanol, the response was again strongly in favor of ethanol.  Sixty percent of Americans support an ethanol requirement while only 28 percent would leave the decision to the oil companies.  Therefore, of respondents with an opinion, 68 percent favor an ethanol requirement.  All regions were basically similar in their support of an ethanol requirement. 

The survey was conducted by International Communications Research of Media, Pennsylvania.  The random sample of 1,004 adults had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.