IN THE NEWS

Pan Atlantic SMS Group Selected as Maine's Best Pollster of 2008
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Portland Press Herald
October 28, 2009
Police Chiefs' Group Opposes Pot Dispensaries

The organization representing Maine police chiefs said Tuesday that it opposes a ballot proposal to change the state's medical marijuana law and let nonprofit dispensaries distribute the drug to patients…

Supporters of the change released a poll showing it has broad support. The poll, by Pan Atlantic SMS Group for the Drug Policy Alliance, shows 60 percent of Mainers supporting or leaning toward supporting the measure compared with 33 percent against or leaning against, and 7 percent undecided. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
October 28, 2009
Yes on 1 Campaign Rallies Supporters in Brewer

BREWER, Maine - With just a week to go before Election Day, supporters of the effort to reverse Maine's same-sex marriage law gathered Tuesday to discuss what they could do to help ensure the law's repeal…

Tuesday night's session at Jeff's Catering, which was part rally and part get-out-the-vote effort, came one day after Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group released survey results suggesting that Question 1 opponents held a roughly 8 percent lead, with 52 percent of respondents indicating they support allowing same-sex couples to marry and 40 percent saying they would vote to repeal the law. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
October 28, 2009
Down in Poll, TABOR NOW Cries Foul

For every dollar the opposition has raised, they've attracted less than a dime. Poll numbers that once showed them comfortably on top have suddenly (and predictably) started to tank…

And the latest poll by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland shows Question 4 trailing 49 percent to 42 percent. Just two weeks ago, the same polling firm had TABOR NOW leading, 53 percent to 39 percent. view complete article

Lewiston Sun Journal
October 27, 2009
New Poll Shows Shift in Tax, School Referendum Questions

LEWISTON - A new poll released Monday reveals large shifts in how Maine voters say they will vote on several of the referendum questions slated for the Nov. 3 ballot, compared to a similar poll from earlier this month. view complete article

Kennebec Journal
October 27, 2009
QUESTION 1 Poll Shows Repeal Failing

AUGUSTA – A new poll released Monday gives same-sex marriage supporters a lead of 11 percentage points over those seeking to reject the new state law.

Yet both sides in the Question 1 debate say they expect nothing short of a barn burner when voters go to the polls one week from today. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
October 27, 2009
Opposition to Ballot Questions Grows

AUGUSTA, Maine - A poll released Monday suggests that supporters of gay marriage have pulled further ahead of opponents, but voter sentiment for two tax-related initiatives may be souring as the campaigns enter the final week. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
October 27, 2009
New Poll: Gay-Marriage Supporters in Lead

A new poll released today by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland shows a 53-42 percent advantage to supporters of same-sex marriage.

The poll of 400 Maine adults conducted between Oct. 20-22 indicates 53 percent of those surveyed said they were planning to vote No on Question 1, which asks voters if they want to reject the state law that allows same-sex couples to marry in Maine. view complete article

Mainebiz
October 27, 2009
Poll: Tax Initiatives Losing Voter Support

Maine voters have swung in opposition to two tax-related initiatives on the Nov. 3 ballot, according to a poll released Monday.

On Question 4, which asks voters if they want to enact state spending limits under a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, about 49% of voters said they either planned to vote no or were leaning toward voting no, the poll by Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group found. About 42% said they favored TABOR II, while 9% were undecided. view complete article

Maine Campus
October 27, 2009
TABOR, Question 1 Drop in Polls

A poll released Monday showed a large drop in support for Questions 2, 3 and 4 on Maine's Nov. 3 ballot. Opponents of Question 1 also showed small gains.

The poll, conducted by the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group, found 48.8 percent of registered voters were likely to vote against Question - the Taxpayer Bill of Rights also known as TABOR II. According to the poll, 42.1 percent are likely to vote for the proposal, and 9.3 percent are undecided. view complete article

MPBN
October 26, 2009
Poll Finds Waning Support for TABOR 2

A new poll shows strong support for maintaining the state's new gay marriage law. The poll, conducted last week by Pan Atlantic SMS, also found dwindling support for the tax-and-spending cap initiative known as TABOR 2. view complete article

WMTW
October 26, 2009
New Poll Released, Court Action Pending In Question 1

PORTLAND, Maine – A new poll released Monday indicates more voters oppose repealing Maine's same-sex marriage law than overturning it.

The poll released by the Pan-Atlantic SMS Group comes as campaigns reach a fever pitch, working toward Election Day a week from Tuesday. view complete article

WCSH6
October 26, 2009
Poll Shows Changes in Voter Preferences

PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) – The Pan Atlantic SMS Group has released its final voter preference poll on the November 2009 Election.

The poll, which was released on Monday, October 26, shows big changes since the last Pan Atlantic SMS Omnibus poll was released on October 14. view complete article

Wall Street Journal
October 24, 2009
Blue States Vote on a Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Most of the attention on the Nov. 3 off-year elections is on governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia, which Republicans are hoping to sweep. But voters in two liberal states on opposite ends of the country will also take up measures to limit spending. The outcomes will give us a clear sense of the public mood toward runaway spending.

Maine and Washington are both more liberal and secular than the rest of the country. Barack Obama carried each state with identical 17-point margins, and both have powerful public employee unions that have driven up the cost of government to the point that a backlash has developed…

There are still a lot of undecided voters, but right now it looks like Tabor will pass in both Maine and Washington. A poll from the marketing research firm Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland, Maine, earlier this month found that 52.8% of voters support passing Tabor while just 38.7% are opposed. In Washington state, a Rasmussen poll in September found that voters favor Tabor 61% to 31%. view complete article

LifeSiteNews
October 22, 2009
Battle in Maine Over Future of Same-Sex 'Marriage' in Dead Heat

AUGUSTA, Maine - In less than two weeks, voters in Maine will have the opportunity to decide the fate of traditional marriage by referendum; but the latest polling reveals that both sides are locked in a statistical dead heat. Each side believes that a victory may significantly alter the political momentum in the ongoing battle over marriage in the United States…

Just weeks ago, the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group showed that 51.8 percent of voters would vote "no" on Question 1, while 42.9 percent would vote "yes," and 5.2 percent reported they are "undecided." The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent. But in light of California, when it comes to marriage that poll makes it too close to predict where Maine will go. view complete article

The Maine Campus
October 18, 2009
No on 1 Ahead in Fundraising, Finance Reports Show

Supporters of Maine's same-sex marriage law have raised more than double the amount of money than their opponents, campaign finance reports released Tuesday showed…

A poll released Wednesday by Pan Atlantic SMS Group showed No on 1 with a nine-point lead. Of the 401 registered Maine voters, 51.8 percent said they would vote or were likely to vote no on Question 1, 42.9 percent said they would or were likely to vote yes and 5.2 percent were undecided. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
October 17, 2009
Is Maine Ready for TABOR?

This coming Election Day, Maine voters will have an opportunity to influence two of the most contentious issues in politics: taxes and government spending…

Although raising more than three times the amount of campaign cash as TABOR supporters thus far, opponents in Maine appear to be in a tougher fight heading into Election Day, according to a new poll.

In the survey by the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group, 53 percent of likely Maine voters said they supported or were leaning toward supporting this latest incarnation of TABOR, with 39 percent opposed. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
October 15, 2009
No on 1 Campaign Has an Edge in New Poll

AUGUSTA – A new poll shows an edge for supporters of same-sex marriage in Maine's Nov. 3 referendum, with 51.8 percent of those surveyed saying they plan to vote to uphold the law legalizing it and 42.9 percent planning to vote for repeal.

The poll released Wednesday by the Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland shows that 5.2 percent of the people surveyed were undecided.

The survey results followed campaign finance reports on Tuesday that showed No on 1, the group supporting same-sex marriage, had raised $2.7 million as of Sept. 30. The group supporting a people's veto of the law, Stand for Marriage Maine, had raised $1.1 million. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
October 15, 2009
Marriage Law, TABOR Show Gains in Poll

AUGUSTA, Maine – The results of a new poll released Wednesday show growing support among voters for Maine's gay marriage law as well as strong interest in the latest attempt to restrict the growth of government spending.

The poll by Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group also found that the majority of respondents in the statewide survey believe Maine is headed in the wrong direction and that economic recovery in the state is still at least a year or two away. view complete article

Portland Daily Sun
October 15, 2009
Poll Shows Majority Support Gay Marriage, Tabor II

An independent poll released Wednesday shows a majority of likely voters oppose the "people's veto" aimed at overturning Maine's gay marriage law.

Polling shows 51 percent of respondents would vote "no" on Question 1 if the election were held today and another 1 percent say they're learning toward a "no" vote. Some 43 percent of respondents said they are either planning or leaning toward a "yes" vote to overturn the law, according to the survey by Pan Atlantic SMS Group.

The "Omnibus Poll", which sought Mainers opinions on a host of state and national issues, was conducted by staffers at the Portland-based opinion research firm between Sept. 30 and Oct. 7. It was administered to 401 Mainers who were both registered voters and identified themselves as "likely" to vote in the November elections. The poll's margin of error is 4.9 percent. view complete article

Morning Sentinel
October 15, 2009
Same-Sex Marriage Supporters Outnumber Foes, New Poll Says

AUGUSTA – A new poll shows an edge for supporters of same-sex marriage in Maine's Nov. 3 referendum, with 51.8 percent of those surveyed saying they plan to vote to uphold the law legalizing it and 42.9 percent planning to vote for repeal.

The poll released Wednesday by the Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland shows that 5.2 percent of the people surveyed were undecided. view complete article

Lewiston Sun Journal
October 15, 2009
New Poll Shows Mainers Support Gay Marriage, TABOR

LEWISTON – A poll released Wednesday says Mainers planning to vote on Election Day favor keeping Maine's law allowing same-sex marriage and enacting state spending caps.

The omnibus poll was released by Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group, which surveyed 401 registered Maine voters who said they were likely to vote on Nov. 3. It was conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 and has a margin of error of about 5 percent. view complete article

Portland Daily Sun
October 15, 2009
MoveOn.org Pushes Snowe for Public Option

A rally in the Old Port Wednesday tried to keep the heat on Republican U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe in the push for a public option in federal health care legislation, which the Maine senator has opposed…

DiGiulio said Gallup polls have shown that 63 percent of Mainers want a public option. On Wednesday, the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group (www.panatlanticsmsgroup.com), a self-described provider of market research and marketing consulting services in New England, released a poll of 401 Mainers who identified themselves as likely voters in the November elections. The SMS Group poll revealed that 53 percent of those surveyed said national health care is poor or very poor, and 57 percent supported the public option and 37 percent opposed it. view complete article

MaineBusiness.com
October 15, 2009
Gubernatorial Candidate Peter Mills Leads in Name Recognition

Peter Mills leads the pack in gubernatorial candidate name recognition, according to a new poll by Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group. 75% of those polled were familiar with Mills, the highest of any candidate in any political party. Other Republican candidates were surpassed by a Democrat who has not even officially declared his candidacy. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
October 15, 2009
Snowe: Health Care Trigger Still Needed

The day after she ended months of speculation as to how she would vote on national health care reform legislation, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine said Wednesday she remains optimistic about building support for the historic measure among naysaying Republicans and cautious Democratic centrists…

Congressional Republicans argue that a public program would have an unfair competitive advantage over private companies and that it would have little incentive to perform efficiently and effectively. Snowe has voted with her GOP colleagues on the committee against several versions of an across-the-board public option, al-though the measure has strong support among voters in many states, including Maine.

A poll released Wednesday by the Pan Atlantic SMS Group showed that 57.4 percent of Mainers support a public option, 37.2 percent oppose it, and 5.5 percent are undecided. view complete article

MPBN.com
October 15, 2009
No On One Campaign Ahead in New Poll

A majority of Mainers in a new poll say they're ready to uphold the state's new gay marriage law by voting "no" on the people's veto referendum question.

The poll, conducted by Pan Atlantic S-M-S group of Portland, found 51.8 percent of likely voters saying they'll support gay marriage by voting "no," while 42.9 percent say they'd reject the same-sex marriage law by voting "yes." view complete article

Portland Daily Sun
October 15, 2009
Gov. Candidates Not Well Known, Poll Finds

With Maine's gubernatorial primary eight months away, a poll released yesterday shows none of hopefuls are very well known to voters.

The survey of 401 Mainers, conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 by Portland polling firm Pan Atlantic SMS Group, showed that a vast majority of Maine voters can't name a single candidate. view complete article

Politico.com
October 14, 2009
Maine Polls Shows Support for Obama Plan, Public Option

A new poll of Maine voters from the Pan Atlantic SMS Group, which regularly surveys the state, offers a glimpse at the home state pressure on Olympia Snowe – and Susan Collins – to break with her party and back health care legislation, and suggests that they would be rewarded at home for backing a public option.

The survey finds that 58% of Mainers approve of how President Obama is doing his job, and that a plurality of 46% back his plans for health care. view complete article

AirAmerica.com
October 14, 2009
New Maine Poll On Public Option Puts Snowe In A Quandary

A new poll conducted by the Pan Atlantic SMS Group found that over 57 percent of Maine residents support a government funded public health insurance option. Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, the lone Republican to vote for the recent Senate health care reform bill, has given only limited support for a measure that a large majority of her constituents support and her party vehemently opposes. view complete article

Mainebiz
October 14, 2009
Poll: Mainers Weigh in on Economy

More than a third of Mainers said the end to the recession is at least two years away, nearly three-quarters believed the government should increase its regulation of the insurance industry and more than half said they support TABOR II, according to a new poll by Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group. view complete article

WGME 13
October 14, 2009
Poll Shows Majority Of Mainers Support Same Sex Marriage

A new poll shows a slight majority of Mainers support same sex marriage. view complete article

Kennebec Journal
October 14, 2009
Poll: 51.8% Plan to Vote No on Question 1

According to new poll data, 51.8 percent of people who plan to vote in November say they will vote no or are leaning in that direction on question 1, the people's veto of Maine's same-sex marriage law.

The poll shows that 42.9 percent plan to vote yes, or are leaning that way. And 5.2 percent remain undecided.

A No vote would allow the same-sex marriage law to stand. A Yes vote would overturn the law.

The poll was from Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group, which released its fall Omnibus Poll today. The poll looks at state referendum issues, as well as the governor's race and national policy questions. view complete article

Pollster.com
October 14, 2009
ME: Marriage, Job Approval

View complete article here.

Morning Sentinel
September 19, 2009
Gay-Vow Poll a Dead Heat

A people's veto question that seeks to repeal Maine's new same-sex marriage law is in a statistical dead heat, according to a poll released Friday. The Research 2000/Daily Kos poll reported that 48 percent of likely voters said they'd vote to overturn the law, and 46 percent would vote not to. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Mainers will vote on the question on Nov. 3…

Patrick Murphy, president of Pan Atlantic Consulting SMS Services, a Portland-based consulting group, called the poll "weird," and suggested it wasn't very accurate. Murphy said his biggest problem with the question about same-sex marriage was that it didn't match up with the wording of the referendum question that will be on the ballot. The question on the ballot will be: "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?" The poll could be biased in favor of those seeking to repeal the law, because the second part of the question wasn't put to the people taking the survey, said Murphy. And, said Murphy, the pollsters also attempted to explain what a 'yes' or 'no' vote would do, and that's questionable. "Proper polling only reads the question as is. You don't get into prompting or explaining," said Murphy. "When I walk in to vote in Portland, that won't be on my ballot." view complete article

Morning Sentinel
April 25, 2009
Action Likely to be Quick in Maine's Legislature on Gay-Marriage Bill

AUGUSTA – Lawmakers are expected to take swift action on a bill that would allow gay marriage in Maine, partly because it's a sensitive issue and because they need to make way for votes on the budget and bonds…

Earlier this week, a poll released by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland showed 49.5 percent oppose changing state law to allow "any two persons regardless of sex" to be married. There were 47.3 percent who supported it and 3.3 percent who were undecided.

Mitchell said although it's a divisive issue for Mainers, she's confident that the level of discourse in the Legislature will be respectful and that the debate will not damage working relationships moving forward. view complete article

Morning Sentinel
April 23, 2009
Live and Let Live is This Week's Social Message

On Wednesday, the Legislature held a hearing at the Augusta Civic Center to allow the public to testify on a bill that would allow same-sex marriage.

That's when public opinion research firm Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland released the results of a poll that showed that Mainers are almost evenly split on the bill. According to the firm, 49.5 percent of those polled were against the bill, and 47.3 percent say they support it. That leaves 3.3 percent who said they didn't know how they felt about it.

That's remarkable. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
April 22, 2009
Same-Sex Marriage: Poll Finds Even Split

Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland asked 400 Maine residents two questions related to gay marriage between April 6 and 14. The first was: "The Maine Legislature is considering a bill that would seek to change the Maine statutes that govern civil marriage rights to allow marriage licenses to be issued to any two persons regardless of the sex of such persons. Do you support or oppose this proposed bill?"

According to Pan Atlantic, 49.5 percent said they oppose the bill, 47.3 percent said they support it and 3.3 percent said they don't know. "If they're faced with a choice straight-up, people are split pretty much down the middle," said Patrick Murphy, president of Pan Atlantic. Murphy said that on questions about public-policy issues, there is normally a higher percentage in the "don't know" category – usually 8 percent to 10 percent. That was obviously not the case on this question. "Most people had a position," he said. "Maybe it's because there's been a lot of media coverage on the issue." view complete article

Boston.com
April 22, 2009
Poll: Mainers Evenly Divided on Gay Marriage

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A poll says Mainers are evenly divided on the issue of gay marriage.

The survey by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland found that 49.5 percent of respondents oppose the gay marriage bill under consideration by the Legislature, while 47.3 percent support it. That's well within the poll's margin of error of 5 percentage points.

Pollster Patrick Murphy told the Portland Press Herald that a larger-than-typical number of respondents had an opinion on the bill. Only 3.3 percent were undecided, compared to 8 to 10 percent in a typical poll on public policy issues. view complete article

MPBN
April 22, 2009
Gay Marriage Bill Hearing Draws Thousands to Civic Center

Thousands of people have converged on the Augusta Civic Center for a daylong public hearing on a proposal to allow same-sex marriage in Maine. The measure is sponsored by Sen. Dennis Damon, a Trenton Democrat. The bill would replace a state law that limits marriage to a man and a woman with one that allows marriage between any two people regardless of gender. If the measure is enacted, Maine would become the fifth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Supporters say the bill's time has come. Opponents say it threatens the institution of marriage and they're vowing to file a people's veto to get the measure on the ballot in November. A new poll conducted by Pan Atlantic SMS Group shows that Maine voters are nearly evenly split on the issue, according to the Portland Press Herald. view article

Lewiston Sun Journal
April 22, 2009
Gay Marriage on Center Stage

AUGUSTA - Members of the Judiciary Committee, who are holding a day-long public hearing on a same-sex marriage bill on Wednesday, will be the first state legislators to officially take a position on the controversial measure…

The poll, released on Tuesday, said 43.3 percent of Mainers support gay marriage, 49.5 percent oppose it and 3.3 percent aren't sure. The Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland poll surveyed about 400 Mainers between April 6 and April 14. view complete article

WBZ
April 22, 2009
Poll: Mainers Evenly Divided on Gay Marriage

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A poll says Mainers are evenly divided on the issue of gay marriage. view complete article

Kennebec Journal
April 22, 2009
Mainers Divided

Opinions are almost evenly split when it comes to a bill before Maine lawmakers to allow same-sex marriage, according to new public polling data. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
April 21, 2009
Poll Finds Mainers Split on Same-Sex Marriage Issue

AUGUSTA, Maine - As leaders on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate descended on the capital Tuesday in preparation for today's legislative hearing on the issue, an independent poll showed that Mainers are evenly divided over whether same-sex couples should be allowed to wed…

The poll, conducted by a Portland-based firm earlier this month, showed that 47.3 percent of those surveyed support changing Maine statutes to allow marriage licenses to be issued to any two people regardless of their sex while 49.5 percent oppose it. The rest of the Maine residents polled hadn't made up their minds on the issue. The poll has a margin of error rate of 4.9 percent. view complete article

November 10, 2008
Pan Atlantic SMS Group Selected as Maine's Best Pollster of 2008

The Tipping Point: Maine's Best Pollster

Tons of media coverage is devoted each election cycle to predicting the outcomes of upcoming races. In the weeks before the recent vote, a swarm of polling firms scoured the Maine electorate hoping to divine voter intentions in the high-profile presidential and senate elections. Each arrived at a different assessment of the state of Maine's major races…

Pan Atlantic SMS Group, a Maine research company, was the only pollster to report results with a margin of error that included the actual margin of victory on election day. They also came the closest in matching the actual result of the senate race, where Susan Collins won by a larger margin than almost anyone predicted. Market Decisions, another Maine firm, was the second most accurate pollster…

The final verdict is that Pan Atlantic SMS is the best Maine pollster of 2008, perhaps because of their familiarity with the state and their in-house professional interviewers. In addition to their accuracy in the presidential and senate races, Pan Atlantic was one of the few firms to poll the other congressional races and two of the statewide referendums, making relatively accurate predictions in those races as well.

Click here to view the complete article.

Portland Press Herald
November 6, 2008
In the End, Allen Never Connected

Running against a popular incumbent who appeals to the state's moderate political sensibilities, Tom Allen's campaign for U.S. Senate was too little, too late and too nice.

That's how political analysts are characterizing the Portland Democrat's failed effort to dislodge incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

Collins, who trounced Allen 61 percent to 39 percent to win a third, six-year term Tuesday, deserves credit for running a skillful campaign that played up her strengths and minimized her vulnerabilities, say campaign leaders, political scientists and pollsters who followed the race.

Although Allen ran a determined race, these observers say, he got off to a late start and failed to adapt to a changing political landscape or tie Collins to the Bush administration in a forceful, effective way.

"He didn't really lay a glove on her," Patrick Murphy, president of Pan Atlantic SMS Group, a Portland polling firm, said Wednesday. "His message didn't really seem to resonate with voters." view complete article

Portland Press Herald
November 6, 2008
Casino Backers: Mainers Have Lost Their Chance

Proponents of a casino in Oxford County say Maine "missed the boat" by voting against Question 2, while opponents hope this will be the end of gambling proposals put to the state.

Voters turned down Question 2, which would have legalized a casino for Oxford County, 55 percent to 45 percent, with 87 percent of precincts reporting.

"I think there's going to be a point where somebody who's got a more friendly business climate is going to offer an opportunity to someone to open a resort like this," said Pat LaMarche, spokeswoman for Vote Yes on 2 For Maine campaign. "They'll beat us to the punch."

The contest appeared close heading into Tuesday's election. Dennis Bailey, executive director of CasinosNo!, said his camp was nervous, but late-night returns put the "no" votes handily ahead.

"I'd like to believe this is the definitive vote on casinos," said Bailey.

…Pollster Patrick Murphy, president of the Pan Atlantic SMS Group in Portland, said a June poll found that 51 percent opposed the proposal, 36 percent favored it and 13 percent were undecided. Another poll a few weeks ago was virtually the same.

"I would say the dynamics of this thing really haven't shifted that much," said Murphy.

The proponents' campaign shifted messages several times, said Murphy, including once in the week before the election, possibly indicating that they knew they were behind. And CasinosNo! ran a strong campaign on a limited budget, he noted. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
October 30, 2008
Collins Leads Allen in Final Days of Race by Double-Digit Points

With less than a week to go until the general election, public poll numbers indicate that Susan Collins is leading Tom Allen in the U.S. Senate race by double-digit percentage points.

A poll released last week by Portland market research firm Critical Insights indicates that Collins has a 12-point lead over her Democratic challenger. A poll released Tuesday by Market Decisions indicates she leads by 17 points, while another poll from Pan Atlantic SMS Group earlier this month indicated she was ahead by nearly 20 points. view complete article

Seacoastonline.com
October 30, 2008
Beverage Tax Debated

It's pitted the state's small-business owners against the health care providers, and it's created passionate charges and countercharges on each side - not to mention lopsided war chests. And it looks as if it could be headed for passage.

…Proponents seem to be making their appeal more effectively with potential voters. Last week, two Maine-based polling organizations released their findings on Question 1. Critical Insight gives the nod to passage of Question 1 48-39 percent. Pan Atlantic SMS Group polls show 57 percent in favor, 35 percent opposed and 8 percent undecided. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
October 23, 2008
Surveys: Collins' Lead over Allen Still Strong

Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins maintains a significant lead over Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Allen in her bid for re-election to a third term, two new polls have found.

In a poll by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland, 57 percent of respondents said they would vote for or lean toward Collins, while 36 percent would vote for or lean toward Allen, with 7 percent undecided.

"She's very much appealing to the independent, middle-of-the-road voter in Maine, and she's avoided being linked too closely with the Bush administration," Patrick Murphy, president of Pan Atlantic, said Wednesday.

Another poll, conducted by SurveyUSA for WCSH-TV and WLBZ-TV, gave Collins the lead over Allen by 54 percent to 43 percent, with 3 percent undecided.

In the poll for Pan Atlantic, a Portland-based independent market research and business consulting firm, support for Collins was slightly weaker in southern Maine's 1st Congressional District, which Allen represents. She has 54 percent of the vote there, compared to 60 percent in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Bangor, her place of residence, and her hometown of Caribou.

But Collins did well among Democrats, capturing 30 percent of their votes statewide in the Pan Atlantic poll and 28 percent in the SurveyUSA poll, a nonpartisan New Jersey firm that specializes in media polls.

Bangor Daily News
October 23, 2008
New Polls Show Good News for Obama in Maine

Two polls released Wednesday - less than two weeks shy of Election Day - suggest Barack Obama has pulled comfortably ahead of John McCain in Maine despite the Republican's recent attention to the state.

Just days after GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin held a rally at Bangor International Airport, a SurveyUSA poll sponsored by WCSH 6, WLBZ 2 and the Bangor Daily News showed Obama with a 54 percent to 39 percent edge among likely voters.

Similarly, a survey taken by Pan Atlantic SMS Group Oct. 14-16, immediately before Palin's visit, had Obama on top 51 percent to 39 percent. view complete article

MaineBiz.com
October 23, 2008
Poll on Casino Shows Lackluster Support

A poll released yesterday by the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group found that more of the Maine voters it surveyed oppose, rather than support, a casino. view complete article

Lewiston Sun Journal
October 23, 2008
New Polls Show Obama Leading in Maine

Two polls released Wednesday - less than two weeks shy of Election Day - suggest Barack Obama has pulled comfortably ahead of John McCain in Maine despite the Republican's recent attention to the state…

Similarly, a survey taken by Pan Atlantic SMS Group Oct. 14-16, immediately before Palin's visit, had Obama on top 51 percent to 39 percent. view complete article

Lewiston Sun Journal
October 23, 2008
Poll Shows Oxford Casino Support Still Weak

A poll released Wednesday showed a majority of Maine voters opposed a casino for Oxford County. The poll, conducted by the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group, sampled 400 Maine voters. view complete article

MaineToday.com
October 22, 2008
Two New Polls Give Lead to Collins, Obama

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins holds a significant lead over her Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, in two new polls released today. A poll by Pan Atlantic SMS Group found that Collins had 57 percent of the vote, Allen had 36 percent and 7 percent were undecided. view complete article

Pollster.com
October 22, 2008
ME: Obama 51, McCain 39

view complete article

PolitickerME.com
October 22, 2008
Omnibus Poll: Obama, Collins, Pingree, Michaud Win; Question 1 Passes, Question 2 Fails

The Pan Atlantic SMS Group released its Omnibus poll on the November ballot races and issues… view complete article

University of Maine Cooperative Extension
August 7, 2008
Farms For The Future Has Helped Farmers!

Several farmers in Piscataquis County have been able to take advantage of the Maine Farms for the Future (FFF) program since it started in 2001. Farms for the Future is a statewide economic development program targeting Maine farms. This program of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources is administered by Coastal Enterprises Incorporated (CEI), a non-profit community development corporation based in Wiscasset…

In the fall of 2007, Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland, Maine, was hired to conduct an evaluation assessing the impact of the FFF program. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Farms for the Future has been successful in improving farm economic viability while at the same time protecting Maine's working farmland. view complete article

Maine Sunday Telegram
July 13, 2008
Switching Careers

Stacey Breault's job as a refund investigator at Anthem was not a perfect fit. Her days were spent on a computer, when her interests were cooking, entertaining and working with people.

After a merger put her job in jeopardy, Breault resigned, went back to school and opened her own catering business. It was hard reaching the decision, but she has no regrets.

…Mainers surveyed in June by Pan Atlantic SMS Group, a research and marketing company, identified jobs and employment as the most important issue facing the state, with 22.3 percent of those responding saying it's their top worry. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percent. view complete article

Lewiston Sun Journal
July 12, 2008
Poll: Obama, Collins Ahead in Maine

A recent poll shows that among Maine voters, Democrat Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain in the presidential race, and Democrat Tom Allen trails Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate race.

…The statewide poll was released July 8 and was conducted by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland. It sampled 400 likely voters in June and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.

Bangor Daily News
July 10, 2008
Poll Ranks Employment as Mainers' No. 1 Concern

Jobs and employment top the list of concerns for Mainers in 2008, but gasoline prices, energy-related issues and the cost of living also rank high.

That's according to recent results of the Pan Atlantic SMS Group Omnibus Poll, a survey conducted by a company based in Portland that asked residents about everything from the economy, to who they likely will vote for during the November elections. Asked what is the most important issue facing Maine today, 22.3 percent of respondents answered jobs.

TransWorldNews
July 10, 2008
Maine Poll Released by Pan Atlantic SMS Group Omnibus Poll: Barack Obama 37%, John McCain 26%

Here are the latest results from the Maine poll by Pan Atlantic SMS Group Omnibus Poll published on USAElectionPolls.com…view complete article

Portland Press Herald
July 9, 2008
Poll Finds Solid Vote for Collins in Maine

Maine voters prefer Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins over her Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, by a margin of 56 percent to 31 percent in a new survey of public opinion in the closely watched Senate race. view complete article

CBS News
July 8, 2008
Poll: Susan Collins Comfortably Leading Allen

While many Senate Republicans from blue states are sweating out their reelection bids, one appears to be in surprisingly good shape. According to a newly-released poll, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) holds a comfortable, 56 to 31 percent lead over Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine), who is challenging her for reelection. view complete article

Politicker.com
July 8, 2008
Pan Atlantic Group Poll: Obama, Collins Lead in Maine

Presidential candidate Barack Obama and U.S. Senate incumbent Susan Collins, R-Bangor, are in the lead in Maine, according to a poll recently released by the Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland.

Also, voters disapprove of the Oxford County Casino project and many people remain undecided whether to send Republicans or Democrats to the Legislature.

Coastal Enterprises Inc.
October 2007
Program Evaluation

In October of 2007, CEI and the Maine Department of Agriculture commissioned Pan Atlantic SMS Group, a leading Maine-based marketing research and consulting firm, to conduct an evaluation of the principal impacts of this program. Pan Atlantic SMS evaluated and reported on the impacts of the Phase 2 FFF grant program in which 75 Maine farms have participated to date. Only those farmers who have participated in Phase 2 of the Farms for the Future Program were included in this sample. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
October 24, 2007
Question 4 Asks Voters to Repair Parks, Save Open Spaces

Voters will decide next month whether to revive Maine's depleted land conservation fund by borrowing money for improvements and repairs at the state's parks and historic sites.

…Public support also appears strong. A statewide poll of voters in September found that nearly 68 percent plan to vote yes or are leaning toward voting yes, according to Pan Atlantic SMS Group, of Portland.

The support was strong among both Democrats and Republicans, according to the poll, which surveyed 400 likely voters and has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. view complete article

Kennebec Journal
October 23, 2007
Question 3: Invest Now, Pay Later

Backers of a $43.5 million bond issue for new buildings and improvements at Maine's universities and community colleges say they expect the measure to pass Nov. 6 – even though voters rejected a higher education package two years ago.

…The Pan Atlantic SMS Group's Omnibus Poll of 400 adults in early September found 65 percent would vote for or are leaning toward voting yes on the higher education bond. The poll has a 4.9 percent margin of error. view complete article

Maine Sunday Telegram
October 21, 2007
Is Tribal Racino Question a Big Deal?

AUGUSTA - Four years ago, gambling was such a hot issue in Maine that activists spent more than $11 million fighting about ballot questions proposing a casino in southern Maine and slot machines at harness-racing tracks.

Now Mainers are getting ready to vote on another gambling question Nov. 6. This time, the issue is whether the Passamaquoddy Tribe will be allowed to build a racetrack with slot machines, or racino, in Washington County, probably in Calais.

…A poll of 400 likely voters between Sept. 6 and 12 by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland found Mainers almost evenly split on the issue, with 47.3 percent supporting a racino or leaning toward a yes vote and 45.8 percent opposing a racino or leaning no. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. view complete article

The Maine Community Banker Magazine
Third Quarter 2007
Spring 2007 Quarterly Omnibus Poll by Pan Atlantic SMS Group

Do You Conduct Online Banking?
While 31.5 percent of Mainers surveyed indicated that they conduct online banking, the remaining 68.5 percent of the sample said they do not. Among those in the high likelihood of conducting online banking:

• Residents of southern (36.4 percent) and northern/downeast (35.9 percent) Maine;
• Those aged 18 to 34 (59.2 percent);
• Respondents with at least a four-year college degree (48 percent); and
• Those with annual pre-tax household incomes of at least $65,000 (55.1 percent).
• Those least likely to conduct online banking:
• Residents of central/western Maine (21.7 percent);
• Those aged 55 or older (20.8 percent);
• Respondents who have completed high school or less (14.6 percent); and
• Those with annual pre-tax household incomes of less than $35,000 (21.1 percent)

view complete publication

Maine Sunday Telegram
September 23, 2007
Business Week in Review

…There's no doubt that Mainers want more windmills.

A poll of 400 Maine voters last May found 85 percent favored the development of wind power in Maine, according to the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.

You wouldn't know it, however, from the debate that gets whipped up nearly every time a wind farm is proposed here. While the projects are pitched as a step toward energy independence and slowing global warming, opponents answer back that the turbines, roads and transmission equipment would do too much harm. view complete article

Bangor Daily News
September 21, 2007
Passamaquoddy Racino Divides Mainers according to Pan Atlantic SMS Group Poll

Mainers are split over whether to allow the Passamaquoddy Tribe to build a gambling facility in Washington County, according to results of a poll released Thursday. This November, voters will be asked to approve or reject a plan by the tribe for a harness racing and slots facility just off Route 1 overlooking the St. Croix River. The proposal calls for 1,500 slot machines as well as a hotel and conference center. With less than two months remaining until Election Day, Mainers who participated in a statewide poll were almost evenly divided over the issue.

Of the 400 registered voters polled, 41.8 percent said they would vote in favor of allowing the Passamaquoddys to build the racino while 41.5 percent would vote against it. The gap over the racino widens slightly, however, when undecided voters were asked which way they were leaning. With the "leaning" results included, the racino had the support of 47.3 percent of respondents versus 45.8 percent opposed. About 7 percent of respondents were undecided and not leaning either way. The survey was conducted by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland as part of the firm's regular "omnibus" poll. The poll's margin of error was listed at plus or minus 4.9 percent.

Indianz.com
September 21, 2007
Passamaquoddy Racino on November Ballot

Voters in Maine are being asked to approve a racino for the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

The issue is on the November ballot. A poll Pan Atlantic SMS Group found that 41.8 percent supported it while 41.5 percent opposed it.

The tribe hopes to build a racetrack with 1,500 slot machines in Washington County. Voters previously approved non-Indian racinos in 2003 but rejected full tribal gaming. view complete article

MaineToday.com
September 20, 2007
Patrick Murphy, President of Pan Atlantic SMS Group, Appointed by Governor Baldacci to the Board of the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)

Senate Confirms Baldacci Nominees

AUGUSTA - The Maine Senate, with occasional dissents by some members of the Republican minority, routinely approved several dozen nominees put forth by Gov. John Baldacci at a special confirmation session Thursday, including Superior Court Justice Ellen Gorman for a seat on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Nominees for a variety of posts had won endorsements from the legislative committees that screened them so none was in peril, because it would take Senate votes of two-thirds or better to block confirmation.

…Additionally, four nominees were cleared for the Finance Authority of Maine - Brent Cross of Bangor, Terry MacTaggart of Hampden, Patrick O. Murphy of Portland and Susan Snowden of Scarborough - and three for the Maine State Housing Authority- Elizabeth Mahoney of Cumberland, Timothy M. O'Neil of South Portland and former legislator Barbara Trafton of Auburn. view complete article

Maine Office of Substance Abuse Selects Pan Atlantic SMS Group to Conduct the 2008 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Survey

Pan Atlantic SMS Group was chosen in a competitive bidding process to conduct a statewide survey of all Maine school students in grades 6 - 12 on drug and alcohol use issues. It is expected that approximately 80,000 Maine students will participate in the survey, which is conducted every two years. Nearly 340 Maine middle and high schools participated in the last MYDAUS survey in 2006.

This is the 6th consecutive MYDAUS project which Pan Atlantic SMS Group will conduct for the Maine Office of Substance Abuse.

Portland Press Herald
September 17, 2007
Conflict in the Wind

There's no doubt that Mainers want more windmills. A poll of 400 Maine voters last May found 85 percent favored the development of wind power in Maine, according to the Portland-based Pan Atlantic SMS Group. The poll had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
August 10, 2007
Snowe Praised for Stand On Iraq

…In a separate statewide poll, conducted in May by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland, 60 percent of Mainers said they wanted the United States to set a timetable for withdrawing its troops from Iraq and stick with it. Only 31 percent of Mainers said U.S. troops - 162,000 strong this week - should remain in Iraq for as long as it takes to secure the country. That telephone survey of 400 Maine voters, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent. view complete article

Seacoast Online
July 4, 2007
All for Consolidation

…According to statewide polls, Gardner may not be as alone as she feels. A quarterly poll of 400 Maine residents conducted by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland in early May showed that 47.5 percent of Mainers said they supported "the consolidation of Maine's school districts from the current number of 290 to approximately 75 to 80 districts in order to increase the efficiency of municipal systems and save tax dollars." The poll calculated that 37.3 percent were opposed, while 15.3 percent said they had no opinion. Support for consolidation was highest among males, people with incomes above $35,000, and residents of central, western and southern regions of the state. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
June 8, 2007
Reaction: "A Wonderful Idea," or Just "Leave Things Alone"

…A poll earlier this month by Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland showed that many Mainers support district consolidation. Of those polled, 47.5 percent said they supported the consolidation to increase efficiency and save tax dollars; 37.3 percent were opposed and 15.3 percent said they had no opinion. Four hundred Maine residents were polled between May 10 and 16. view complete article

The Lewiston Sun Journal
June 5, 2007
Poll: Cut School Administration

When asked if Maine should cut the number of school administrative districts from 290 to 75 to 80, a proposal being considered by state legislators, less than half said yes. In the recent poll: 47.5 percent said they favored less school administration; 37.3 percent said they did not, and 15.3 percent said they didn't know. The numbers show some support for something Gov. John Baldacci has been saying needs to happen, said Patrick Murphy of Pan Atlantic SMS Group, the firm that conducted the poll.

The Mitchell Institute
December, 2006
Barriers to College in Maine

This past week, the Mitchell Institute and Pan Atlantic SMS Group began a statewide survey of Maine parents, high school students, young adults and educators as part of a major study of barriers to college. view complete article

Maine Townsman
November, 2006
2006 Membership Survey

As a part of its strategic and business planning process, the Maine Municipal Association conducts a comprehensive evaluation of member satisfaction and service needs every five years. (The last survey was conducted in 2001). Early in 2006 the MMA selected Pan Atlantic SMS Group, a strategic market research and consulting firm based in Portland, Maine to conduct a comprehensive survey of its membership. view complete article

Maine Townsman
November, 2006
TABOR and Membership Survey

…Included in this month's Townsman is a pullout article reporting on the results of the Association's 2006 Membership Survey. Patrick Murphy, President of Pan Atlantic SMS Group, the strategic market research firm MMA engaged to conduct this year's survey, wrote this article that provides an overview of the survey results and findings. view complete article

Portland Press Herald
November 9, 2006
Research Firm Merges with Marketing Consultant

Portland-based Pan Atlantic Consultants, a marketing consulting firm founded in 1985, and Strategic Marketing Services, a strategic marketing research firm founded by the Guy Gannett Publishing Co. in 1982, have merged to become Pan Atlantic SMS Group.

The new company provides a range of market research, marketing consulting and training services to regional, national and international clients in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

Portland Press Herald
September 26, 2006
TABOR Losing Support, Poll Finds

Support for the so-called Taxpayers Bill of Rights, a measure that will be voted on in November, has decreased since July, according to a poll of 400 Maine voters released Monday.

The Strategic Marketing Services poll taken this month showed that supporters of TABOR, the proposal's common name, still have an edge, but opponents have closed the gap since the firm's previous survey in July.

The poll also showed an increase in undecided voters, which observers said may be the result of conflicting information from interest groups on both sides of the debate.

Boston Globe
July 31, 2006
Poll Shows Support for Baldacci, Other Top-of-Ticket Incumbents

PORTLAND, Maine –Gov. John Baldacci, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe and Maine's two congressmen held substantial leads in a poll released Monday, slightly more than three months before Election Day.

The Strategic Marketing Services survey also indicated that Mainers were confident that the Boston Red Sox will win the World Series.

In the gubernatorial contest, 42 percent of respondents said they would vote for or lean toward Democrat Baldacci, compared to 24 percent for Republican Chandler Woodcock. Independent Barbara Merrill and Green Independent Pat LaMarche each had 3 percent.