Durham, NH – Nearly a third of Vermonters say housing is the most pressing problem facing the state, and six in ten support an extension of emergency housing for the homeless in motels, according to the University of New Hampshire’s annual Green Mountain State Poll.

The poll found that 60% of Vermonters either strongly agree or somewhat agree with extending the program, whose federal funding is set to run out. Support is strongest among Democrats — nearly 80 percent support an extension — while 54% of Republicans oppose it. Independents are about equally divided — 50% support an extension, while 46% opposed it.

The poll also found that Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s overall approval has slipped since last fall, especially among Republicans. About 58% of poll respondents approve of Scott’s job performance and 39% disapprove. The governor is most popular among Independents — 75% say they approve of his performance.

But Scott’s standing among Republicans has fallen 20 percent since November, to 46%, while more than 60 percent of Democrats approve of his job performance.

In other issues, large majorities support proposed legislation that would raise legal age to get marriage to 18. And more than three-quarters support a bill that would require at least 10% of all new recreational trails in the state to be accessible to people with physical disabilities.

According to the pollsters, 698 Green Mountain State Panel members completed the survey online between March 16 and March 20, 2023. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.7 percent