Despite a Partisan Split on Gun Violence Prevention, Regulation of Ghost Guns is Unequivocally Popular

By Erin Thomas, Software Engineer, Data for Progress

Key Findings

  • 73 percent of likely voters support a plan to enforce safety measures on the sale and procurement of ghost guns

  • A plurality of likely voters (47 percent of voters, including 71 percent of Democrats) believe that laws governing the sale and carrying of firearms should be made more strict

  • Stricter enforcement of open carry laws in urban areas than in rural areas were unpopular, with only 30 percent of likely voters stating that states should be allowed to enforce stricter concealed carry laws in urban areas than rural areas. Further questions on voters' support for concealed carry laws are necessary to contextualize these findings.

Introduction

Several recent events have resurfaced America’s fraught relationship with gun violence to the forefront of national media. In a survey conducted from November 19 to 22, we asked respondents several questions about gun reform laws in America.

Almost half of likely voters support stricter gun laws

We first asked survey respondents whether they felt gun laws should be made more strict, less strict, or kept the same.

 
 

Our polling indicates that 47 percent of likely voters believe gun control laws should be more strict, compared to 35 percent of voters who think laws should stay the same, and 14 percent of voters who think laws should be less strict. 

When splitting voters by geographic area, we find 53 percent of voters in urban areas support stricter gun laws, as well as 50 percent of suburban residents.

Regulating ghost guns is politically popular

The Justice Department released a proposed rule earlier this year to regulate the sale of ghost guns — untraceable firearms without serial numbers, assembled from components bought online. This new rule would require retailers to run background checks before selling kits that allow someone to readily make a gun at home, and it would force manufacturers to include a serial number on a firearm’s “frame or receiver” — the primary structural components of a gun — in easy-to-build kits.

 
 

Our polling indicates that voters from both parties strongly support these reforms. In a survey conducted from November 19 to 22, we find that a +55-point margin of voters support the proposed reforms on ghost guns. This includes a +78-point margin of Democrats, a +54-point margin of Independents, and a +31-point margin of Republicans. When splitting voters by geographic area, we find a +62-point margin among voters in urban areas, a +54-point margin among voters in suburban areas, and a +46-point margin among voters in rural areas.  

Concealed carry restrictions in cities are unpopular

For the first time in more than a decade, the Supreme Court is hearing a case on gun control regarding a New York gun control law which enforces strict limitations on carrying a weapon outside the home. Many are expecting the majority-conservative Supreme Court to strike down this law.

 
 

We found that only 30% of likely voters think states should be able to implement stricter gun laws in urban areas than rural areas, including only 36% of urban voters. Further research on voters' support for concealed carry laws is necessary to contextualize these findings.

Conclusion

Overall, support for gun reform remains contentious, but action in key areas is both possible and popular. Our historical inaction on gun legislation, combined with the proliferation of guns across the country, has created a dangerously unstable social and political environment. In order to keep better control of America’s 390 million guns, Democrats should prioritize passing legislation that helps better regulate the sale of firearms and monitors their use in crimes. Additional polling will help us paint a further picture of what types of gun reform are most supported by Americans. 

Methodology and full results

Erin ThomasJustice