A recent poll commissioned by WCAX shows Gov. Peter Shumlin with less than the 50 percent plus one vote needed to avoid having the Legislature choose the winner.

The poll, conducted by the Castleton Polling Institute, shows Shumlin receiving 47 percent of the vote, Republican Scott Milne with 35 percent and Libertarian Dan Feliciano with 6 percent. With a margin or error of 4 percent and with 8 percent of those polled saying they are undecided, Shumlin is within reach of a majority. If no candidate obtains a majority of votes, a joint assembly of the heavily Democratic House and Senate chooses the next governor.

The WCAX poll also reported that 45 percent of respondents approved of Shumlin’s job performance and 41 percent disapproved.

In the lieutenant governor’s race, WCAX said 58 percent of respondents favored Republican Lt. Gov, Phil Scott. Dean Corren, who is running as a Progressive and a Democrat, received 24 percent, with 15 percent undecided.

The poll was conducted over 11 days and reached more than 650 likely voters by cellphone and landline, WCAX said.