MD Over COVID Pandemic, Hogan Praised For Handling: Goucher Poll

BALTIMORE, MD — More Marylanders support local jurisdictions ending COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, and give their local health departments and Gov. Larry Hogan high marks on their handling of the pandemic, according to the latest Goucher Poll. Concern over contracting COVID-19 is in decline, as well.

On the environment, the poll released Monday shows residents see the most significant effects of climate change on sea level, wildlife and ecosystems, and weather patterns in Maryland.

The Goucher College Poll asked Maryland residents about the coronavirus, including their views on how state and local officials and the Centers for Disease Control have handled the pandemic, their concern for themselves or a close family member getting COVID-19, and the pace at which related mandates and restrictions are ending.

“As we enter into the third year of the pandemic, our results suggest that Marylanders are ready for a return to ‘normalcy’ and support their local jurisdictions ending the remaining mandates and restrictions,” said Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College, in a news release. “Getting COVID-19 remains a concern for many Marylanders, but the level of concern has waned.”

Maryland and the Coronavirus

Over the last month, state and local jurisdictions have begun to lift remaining COVID-19 mandates. Nearly half of residents (44 percent) view the pace at which their local jurisdiction is generally moving to end all restrictions, including mask mandates, as “about right.”

Twenty-eight percent of residents think the pace to end all restrictions in their local jurisdiction is moving “too quickly,” and 25 percent say it’s moving “too slowly," poll results show.

Maryland residents are divided in their levels of concern about personally getting COVID-19 or a close family member getting COVID-19: 53 percent are “very” or “somewhat” concerned, and 47 percent are “not at all” or “a little” concerned, a news release said. At this time last year, 71 percent of residents were “very” or “somewhat” concerned, and 29 percent were “not at all” or “a little” concerned.

Marylanders generally approve of the way state and local leaders have handled the pandemic. Local health departments (71 percent) and Gov. Larry Hogan (70 percent) earn the highest approval from Marylanders, according to the poll.

Hogan earned his highest statewide approval on his handling of the pandemic (82 percent) in October 2020.

A majority of Maryland residents also approve of how the Maryland Department of Health (68 percent), their local elected officials (66 percent), and the Democrats in the Maryland General Assembly (58 percent) have handled the pandemic.

Residents are more divided in their evaluation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 55 percent approve of the job the CDC has done in handling the pandemic and 42 percent disapprove.

Impact of Climate Change

Residents were asked whether climate change was having a major, minor, or no impact on several items:

Rising sea levels and retreating shorelines

• Major impact: 55 percent
• Minor impact: 27 percent
• No impact: 13 percent

Wildlife and ecosystems

• Major impact: 54 percent
• Minor impact: 27 percent
• No impact: 14 percent

Extreme weather, such as floods, hurricanes, or long periods of unusually hot weather

• Major impact: 54 percent
• Minor impact: 26 percent
• No impact: 18 percent

The fishing or agricultural industry

• Major impact: 46 percent
• Minor impact: 29 percent
• No impact: 15 percent

Air quality

• Major impact: 38 percent
• Minor impact: 41 percent
• No impact: 18 percent

Human health

• Major impact: 40 percent
• Minor impact: 40 percent
• No impact: 16 percent

About the Goucher College Poll

Launched in 2012, the nonpartisan poll is funded by the Goucher College Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics. The center is directed by Dr. Mileah Kromer, associate professor of political science.

"We typically conduct our poll biannually," Kromer told Patch, usually in March and October.
"The reason we always pick those times is that we're an academic-based poll," Kramer said. "Students help me design the survey and analyze the results, so we pick times that work with the academic calendar."

March is in the midst of the legislative session, Kramer added, while October falls before elections.

See the complete Goucher Poll results.

Download the complete results, including methodology and question design. To view archived polls, visit www.goucher.edu/poll.