Most Marylanders are happy to welcome trick-or-treaters, according to a new poll from the UMBC Institute of Politics.
Mileah Kromer, the director of the institute in Baltimore County, usually focuses on serious statewide issues in surveys of Marylanders. But she switched things up to do a poll on spooky season.
“I think it’s important for all of us to have a little bit of fun,” she said. “Particularly in a really contentious election year — it does give us a second to breathe.”
In the September UMBC poll, Kromer said she tacked on two “just for fun” questions.
The first question asked if Marylanders would give out treats when trick-or-treaters come to the door, whether they would pretend not to be at home, or whether they would offer something other than candy.
Kromer told WTOP, “77% of Marylanders planned to give out candy or treats” while “11% will pretend not to be home.”
Just 5% said they would offer something other than candy, though the poll didn’t get into just what the alternatives might be.
The second question the UMBC poll asked: how old is too old to go trick or treating?
“The plurality of Maryland residents, 29% said you are never too old to go trick or treating,” Kromer said. “They are certainly happy to see trick-or-treaters of all ages coming and knocking on the doors.”
The UMBC poll surveyed 1,003 Maryland adults including 917 registered voters and 863 likely voters.
According to data supplied by UMBC, the margin of error for the sample of 1,003 Maryland adults is plus or minus 3.1%. The margin of error for the sample of 917 Maryland registered voters is slightly higher, at plus or minus 3.2%.
Kromer said the UMBC Institute of Politics polls give residents a chance to express opinions on a range of subjects, and like this most recent survey, not all of them are weighty issues.
“They’re fun and they’re fun to talk about,” she said. “We do like to have a little bit of fun in the midst of being a serious sort of political and policy poll.”
She invited people to submit ideas for future polls by emailing her suggestions at mkromer@umbc.edu.
WTOP’s spookily unofficial Halloween survey
WTOP also conducted a thoroughly unscientific poll, asking Montgomery County residents for their thoughts.
Avish Kebrehzadeh said her home features more than 50 steps to the front door.
“So nobody comes there, but if somebody knocks, and if we are home,” candy will be handed out.
On the issue of the maximum age to trick-or-treat, Kebrehzadeh said: “If you feel like it, just go!”
Kimberly, who declined to give her last name, explained she wasn’t raised with the custom of trick-or-treating, and finds it weird.
“It feels strange, like opening the door to strangers and then just giving them candy, I mean, what is that?” she said.
When it comes to a cutoff age for trick-or-treating, she told WTOP, “I think it’s more of a kids’ thing, so if you’re older than maybe 17 years old, I think that you should probably stop.”
Any older than 17 and she suggested, “Maybe go to a Halloween party dressed up, but not trick-or-treating. I feel that’s more of a kids’ thing.”
Mary Vinograd, a mother of four who is also a crossing guard in Montgomery County, said she would always hand out candy at Halloween.
“I do want them to tell me about their costume,” she said. “So I ask them questions about who they are and why did they pick that — and then they get their candy.”
On the cut off age for trick or treating, she thought hard, and said “Thirteen? Fourteen? Yeah, yeah, ’til they get out of middle school, and then have a party.”
Nizar Amari, who was out for a run, said he lives in an apartment, and doesn’t get trick-or-treaters, but if he did, “I would definitely give them candy. You’ve got to give candy to the kids.”
And on the age question, he said, “When you’re out of high school, it’s too old,” but while still in high school, “you can take your little siblings and stuff like that, so that’s fine.”
The thought of snapping off the lights and pretending not to be at home when trick-or-treaters come around seemed harsh to Cash McCracken, who said, “Always give candy! We need more joy in the world.”
On the question of aging out of collecting treats, he said, “Once you can drive, that seems too old.”
But most important, he said, anyone trick-or-treating needs to dress for it.
“You gotta be in a costume!” he said.
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