John McDonough

Support for legalizing slot machines has dropped according to a new poll.

Voters will decide on November's ballot if the state constitution should be amended to allow no more than 15,000 slot machine installations at five different locations across the state.

The survey paid for and conducted by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies shows 49 percent of those polled were for the referendum and 43 percent were against it. Eight percent were undecided.

In a letter sent to State Elections Chair Robert Walker Wednesday, Comptroller Peter Franchot expressed concerned about the ballot language used for an upcoming referendum vote on slot machines, calling for a review of Secretary of State John McDonough's language.

"It is clear that the language submitted to you by Secretary of State John McDonough does not fairly characterize this important Constitutional amendment," Franchot wrote.

"The Baltimore Sun has described the language as 'misleading' and recommends that it be rewritten;  The Washington Post has said the language 'misrepresents' the proposal before Maryland voters. Voices from across the political spectrum have raised concerns about this language, concerns that the State Board of Elections cannot ignore."

Franchot sent copies of the letter to Gov. Martin O'Malley, Attorney General Douglas Gansler, McDonough and Board of Elections Administartor Linda Lamone before sending it to the press.

DENVER – Comptroller Peter Franchot (D-Takoma Park) is lambasting the language of November's slots referendum.

"That language is a disgrace, it's one sided, it's biased," Franchot told PolitickerMD.com during a reception at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Voters will decide on November's ballot if the state constitution should be  amended to allow no more than 15,000 slot machine installations at five  different locations across the state.

Secretary of State John McDonough published the text of the November slots referendum last week, but has found himself under fire from Marylanders  United to Stop Slots – an anti-slot group that says the referendum's  language is biased towards gambling interests McDonough once lobbied for. Franchot serves on Marylanders United to Stop Slots steering committee and is a stark opponent of the referendum.

Secretary of State John McDonough says he was not aware John Willis was on the Marylanders United to Stop Slots steering committee when he consulted with him about writing the language of the November slots referendum.

Voters will decide on November's ballot if the state constitution should be amended to allow no more than 15,000 slots machine installations at five different locations across the state.

McDonough published the text of the November slots referendum on Monday, but has found himself under fire from Marylanders United to Stop Slots – an anti-slot group that says the referendum’s language is biased.

In McDonough’s response to the charges, he mentioned that he had consulted with former Secretary of State John Willis: who is now a professor at the University of Baltimore. According to McDonough, the conversation was about the process involved with writing the referendum’s language. But McDonough was unaware that Willis was a steering committee member of Marylanders United to Stop Slots.

“I never really asked him,” said McDonough in an interview with PolitickerMD.com.

McDonough said “he wouldn’t have cared one way or the other” and believes Willis “gave his advice impartially.”

Marylanders United to Stop Slots Senior Advisor Scott Arceneaux agrees with McDonough. “I don’t think it biases our position either,” said Arceneaux in an interview with PolitickerMD.com.

This is where the agreement over the referendum’s language ends.

Navigating around easy obstacles (and a bit of flexibility with Route 50's speed limit) made it a good week for some, while the failure of the rubber to meet the road caused a couple of flat tires. 

Pull over to Maryland's Winners and Losers for July 18, 2008. CLICK HERE.