By Focus Staff

Knoxville and Knox County voters appear to be sharply divided in their opinions about digital signs.  This week’s Knoxville Focus poll asked likely voters this question: “Do you believe electronic digital billboards should be banned in Knox County?”

Slightly more than 51% of respondents said no, digital billboards should not be banned; just over 48% of respondents disagreed, saying they should be banned.

Seniors were the group who most strongly believed electronic billboards should be banned, with 51.55% of voters 65 and older favoring the ban.

The two districts most strongly in favor of banning electronic billboards was the First and the Fourth.  Just over 62% of residents in the First District think electronic billboards should be banned and 60% of residents in the Fourth District agreed.

Every district inside the City of Knoxville, save for the Third, favored banning electronic billboards.  Inside the Third District, more than 55% of respondents said they didn’t believe digital billboards should be banned.  In the Fifth District, which is comprised largely of the Town of Farragut, the numbers were almost identical, although in reverse with 55% favoring the ban.

Outside the City of Knoxville, the numbers supporting a ban dropped except in the Ninth, which is South Knoxville where the numbers were an even spilt.

The numbers were very interesting on a issue were there are clearly sharp divisions in our community.  It is also interesting to note the division between the two genders, as female voters were more strongly in favor of banning electronic billboards while male voters were more strongly opposed to the ban.

Click here to view the full results.