Gwinnett County voters split along party lines Tuesday in separate, nonbinding Republican and Democratic straw polls gauging support for extending MARTA into the county.

Incomplete results showed Democrats enthusiastically supporting the idea, with Republican voters heavily in opposition. But when taken in total, the measure was just narrowly failing —- a stark difference from the past two votes on the idea, in 1986 and 1990. In those years, voters rejected the idea each time by a 3-1 margin.

The straw poll generated little attention in a primary dominated by a contentious race for the chairmanship of the County Commission. Still, some seized on the MARTA questions as a bellwether for opinions on suburban transit after a four-decade impasse.

However, sentiment against the proposal seemed to center less on whether rail should come to the county —- although that was an issue —- but rather on distrust of MARTA and concerns that the agency would use tax revenues collected in Gwinnett to support operations elsewhere in its system.

Some transit proponents had worried that linking the question of rail in the county to MARTA could doom the straw poll's chances, a scenario that may have played out.

"The last thing I want to do is give more money to Atlanta," said Wharton Smith, who voted with his wife, Annette, at the Duluth City Hall. Still, others seemed to support rail in the county, whether it be under MARTA's banner or someone else's.

"For a city as large as Atlanta to have such a minimal mass transit system is disappointing," said Paul Buck of Duluth. "To have so many people have a head-in-the-sand, I-want-my-car perpsective is selfish."

MARTA officials disputed claims that they wouldn't serve the county well and argued that their agency would be best suited to build a regional rail system of benefit to residents in Gwinnett, as well as elsewhere in metro Atlanta.

Staff writer Rachel Pomerance contributed to this article.

 ELIZABETH LANDT / Staff 
TRACKING MARTA THROUGH THE YEARS 
1965: Legislature creates MARTA, but requires five counties and the city of Atlanta to approve the system. Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties vote to participate in MARTA; Cobb County opts out. 
............For ....Against 
Atlanta ....23,256....8,638 
Clayton......3,009....2,124 
Cobb ........5,276....6,869 
DeKalb......15,285....6,321 
Fulton......30,392 ..11,323 
Gwinnett ....1,331....1,161 

1971: DeKalb and Fulton voters approve a 1 percent sales tax for MARTA and highway system improvements. Clayton and Gwinnett voters reject the sales tax, but as original backers they keep seats on MARTA's board. 
............For ....Against 
Clayton ....3,300....11,147 
DeKalb ....39,441....36,100 
Fulton ....55,736....53,725 
Gwinnett....2,500 ....9,506

1972: Clayton County voters vote against 1 percent sales tax to finance rapid transit in Clayton by a margin of 73.5 percent. 
1975: Construction begins on MARTA's East Line. 
1981: North and South lines open. 
1986: Party leaders hold a straw poll about MARTA. It is rejected by a 3 to 1 margin by Gwinnett voters. 
1988: Airport station opens. MARTA has 32 miles of track and 29 stations 
1989: Cobb Community Transit begins bus service to Arts Center station. 
1990: Gwinnett voters vote 3-1 against raising their sales tax by 1-cent to join the system. 
2001: Gwinnett County Transit and state-owned C-Tran in Clayton County begin bus service. 
Tuesday: A straw poll asks Gwinnett voters if they would support bringing MARTA and a 1 percent sales tax into the county. 

Sources: MARTA, county Web sites; research by SHARON GAUS / Staff; JOEY IVANSCO / 2001 photo