Two-thirds of Arizona Voters Support Official English Ballot Initiative

66 percent of likely voters support Proposition 103 according to latest poll

Two-thirds of Arizona voters say they will vote for Proposition 103 this November and make English the official language of the state, according to a recent poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. The survey found that the overwhelming majority of Grand Canyon State residents want the state to conduct business in English, including majorities within each political party. The survey of 625 likely voters was conducted Sept. 19-21, 2006 and has a margin of error of plus or minus four percent.

“While Arizonans may be closely divided on measures regarding immigration, official English policies are widely embraced for their emphasis on unity and assimilation,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “People understand that no matter how many people are invited to join our nation, we all go further when the government promotes a common language.”

Proposition 103 would make English the official language of Arizona, requiring the government to conduct business in English and limit governmental multilingualism to common-sense activities such as health care, public safety, judicial proceedings and tourism. To date, 27 states have English as their official language, and H.R. 997, Congressional legislation promoting this policy at the federal level, has become one of the most widely supported bills in the 109th Congress.

The ballot proposal, which passed the House 34-22 in March, and the Senate, 18-11 in June, represents the eighth time that an official English measure has been put to the voters. In all of the previous seven instances, the proposals passed successfully.

“The people of Arizona have never desired an ‘English-only’ society, but they are also steadfastly opposed to an ‘English-optional’ society,” continued Mujica. “When it comes to government, they want policies that promote personal and societal growth. The strong support evidenced by this poll demonstrates that Proposition 103 is consistent with those goals, and I look forward to seeing the measure pass this November.”

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. (www.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.