Colorado voters can’t seem to make up their minds about how to teach children who speak little English.

Just days before Tuesday’s election, support for Amendment 31 is creeping back up despite an ongoing $3 million ad blitz urging voters to say no.

Poll results released Wednesday indicate that 46 percent of voters now support the ballot measure, which would require English learners to spend a year in English immersion before joining traditional classrooms. Another 44 percent are opposed and 8 percent are undecided.

That’s a reversal from just four days ago, when the Rocky Mountain News/News4 poll conducted by Talmey- Drake Research & Strategy of Boulder found 42 percent of voters supported the measure, while 48 percent opposed it.

The results fall within the margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

“There is no way it should be passing, given the amount of money being spent,” said political analyst Katy Atkinson. “It is puzzling. If your tracking polls are right, then all of our political rules go down the toilet this year.”

Pollster Paul Talmey also said the fluctuation is unusual.

“Usually when things start to fall apart on an initiative, they just collapse,” he said. “It does look like they have stopped the slippage and it’s neck and neck.”

Proponents of Amendment 31 cheered the narrow lead.

“It sounds like we at least have a reasonable shot,” said Ron Unz, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has led similar efforts in California and Arizona.

Unz credits recent radio spots by former Gov. Dick Lamm. They run opposite a $3 million TV and radio campaign funded by a gift to the No on 31 group.

“We’re being outspent 15-to-1 in advertising,” Unz said. “But it is remarkable the numbers are starting to move in our direction.”

No on 31 campaign consultant Steve Welchert downplayed the poll results.

“It’s a small swing, I suppose,” he said. “As ballot issues go, the interesting thing from our perspective is, are you below or above 50 percent? Once a ballot initiative falls below 50 percent, their battle is pretty tough.”

Undecided voters could swing the election either way. Poll results during the past week indicate undecided voters are hovering between 7 percent and 9 percent.

Atkinson said Colorado voters historically have said no when they have doubts about an amendment. But Atkinson said she wouldn’t be surprised if many of those still undecided opt not to vote on the issue.

“When they get down to the ballot questions, they may just skip them if they haven’t decided at this point,” Atkinson said.

An analysis of those polled by Talmey shows opinions differ by political party, gender and whether children are present in the home.

He said 60 percent of Republicans are for Amendment 31 and 55 percent of Democrats are against it. Unaffiliated voters are split, with 44 percent in favor and 48 percent against.

Among male voters, 54 percent are for it and 35 percent are against. Among women, 38 percent are for it and 52 percent are against it.

Voters with children in the household are evenly split, with 45 percent for and 45 percent against. In households with no children, 47 percent are for the measure and 43 percent are against.

Both campaigns are making last-minute bids for voters. Welchert promised more yard signs and leaflet drops during the weekend.

“When you’re hovering in the 40s, that means people are likely to stay on the ‘no’ side,” he said of the poll results. “They have a big burden to move them in the next week.”

Rita Montero, the Colorado leader of the pro-31 campaign, said another Lamm radio ad will appear.

“I’m not going to call it either way yet,” Montero said. “I’m just going to wait until Tuesday night and see how it all shakes out. I know it’s going to be close.”

In the U.S. Senate race, the latest tracking poll indicated little change. Allard leads Strickland 42 percent to 39 percent, but it is within the margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

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