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RALEIGH (AP) - More than two-thirds of North Carolina adults support drilling for oil off the state's coast, according to a poll released Monday, and most believe the idea could soon affect gas prices despite federal studies that suggest otherwise.

The Elon University poll found that 69 percent of respondents supported or strongly supported oil exploration as close as 3 miles off North Carolina's shoreline. About 26 percent opposed the idea while the remainder were unsure or refused to answer.

The poll also found that most people expect the drilling to affect gas prices in the near future. About 14 percent expected that permitting drilling would lower prices immediately or within one year. Another 53 percent expected gas price relief in one to 10 years.

The federal government disagrees. A report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration last year found that new exploration in the Pacific, Atlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico would produce an extra 200,000 barrels of oil a day by 2030. But U.S. oil consumption is currently 100 times higher than that. And since oil prices are determined on a worldwide market, the new oil would have an "insignificant" impact on oil prices, the EIA said.

In part, there's far less oil in areas that are unavailable to leasing. The EIA estimates that there's some 41 billion barrels of undiscovered oil in parcels already available for leasing and exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. Even if the nation opened up the Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast and more of the Gulf of Mexico, there would only be an additional 18 billion barrels available.

Still, only 11 percent of poll respondents said drilling off North Carolina won't reduce gas prices.

Elon University Poll Director Hunter Bacot said the results show that adults don't have all the facts about offshore drilling.

"It's being made into an issue and it's not completely understood," Bacot said. "It sounds wonderful, but when you get down to it, there's a big disjoint between perception and reality."

Three North Carolina political candidates have shifted their positions on drilling. Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Democratic rival Kay Hagan and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bev Perdue had initially raised economic and environmental concerns about drilling but are all now open to such exploration.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory has publicly supported additional drilling since it became an issue earlier this year.

Bacot said it's clear the candidates are supporting drilling because of such overwhelming support.

"They're appealing to that sentiment," Bacot said. "It makes you want to step back and say, 'Wait a minute, we need to understand this issue first.'"