A new Elway poll has found that Mayor Mike McGinn receives negative job performance ratings from a large majority of Seattle voters. Strikingly, even among voters who agree with McGinn on his signature issue, opposition to construction of the planned waterfront tunnel, most think he is doing an only fair job or a poor job overall.
The poll is being released today (March 29); a copy obtained independently of Elway by Crosscut says that McGinn is also getting little credit from those whoagree with him on another issue, the proposed renewal of the city Families and Education Levy to help Seattle Public Schools. Among both supporters and opponents of his push to extend and increase the levy, more than 60 percent give him a fair or poor rating.
Overall, McGinn received 28 percent favorable ratings (good or excellent) while 66 percent gave him the negative ratings (only fair or poor). Elway noted that former-Mayor Greg Nickels had only marginally better ratings nine months into his first term (McGinn is in his 15th month). Among those with an opinion, Nickels had 53 percent negative and 40 percent approval.
McGinn did his best among younger respondents, garnering 46 percent positive and 47 percent negative ratings overall among voters under 35.
A spokesman for McGinn declined to comment.
The Elway surveying on McGinn was conducted last week through live telephone interviewing of 405 Seattle voters. The poll has a margin of error of 5 percent.
The full Elway report is here (pdf format).
