BROOKINGS, S.D. (KELO) — In a Monday morning release, the SDSU Poll released new data they’ve gathered on the subject of recreational marijuana support in South Dakota.

The poll — run by a non-partisan research group housed in the School of American and Global Studies at South Dakota State University — surveyed 747 registered voters in the state on topics including their views on recreational marijuana.

The poll determined that should marijuana make it back on the ballot in 2024, it stands a fighting chance at passing.

“In the 2020 election, the state’s electorate approved a measure to legalize recreational marijuana by a 54-46 margin, only to see that measure voided on procedural grounds by the state Supreme Court,” the release reads. “In 2022, activists put a new measure on the ballot only to see that fall 53-47.”

The release notes a big difference in voter turnout between the successful 2020 campaign and the failed 2022 attempt, citing Secretary of State data showing a 73.9% turnout in 2020 as compared to just 59.4% in 2022. “Those could be very different electorates,” the release states.

Overall, the SDSU Poll results showed 49% of respondents were either strongly or somewhat in favor of legalization, while 41% were strongly or somewhat opposed. The remaining 10% were neither in favor nor opposed.

The release notes that this poll result is very similar to the actual results of the 2020 election, indicating that voter turn out will be key in determining whether a 2024 ballot measure passes.

While voters in South Dakota are nearly evenly spilt overall on the issue of recreational marijuana, this even split does not carry over when party demographics are considered.

While 71% of Democrats polled were in favor of legalization, just 23% of Republicans were in favor.

Interestingly, the release points out that the 23% of Republicans who support legalization almost exactly mirrored the 22% of Democrats opposed to it, noting that this 23% of Republican voters will be essential to any attempt to pass a measure in 2024.

You can read more about the results of the poll on marijuana in the SDSU Polls release.