Voters Support Stricter Gun Reform Policies
By Sabrina Jacobs and Bella Kumar
Despite the progress on gun control legislation made in the Senate, many people believe that Congress needs to go further in regards to gun reform policies. While the bipartisan agreement includes funding for states to enact red flag laws and enhanced background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21, Data for Progress finds that stricter gun control laws, such as an assault weapons ban, are overwhelmingly supported by voters.
Sixty-six percent of voters believe that Congress hasn’t done enough to address gun violence in the United States, including 85 percent of Democrats, 68 percent of Independents, and 43 percent of Republicans.
Sixty-two percent of voters support starting a federal buyback program, in which the government would purchase assault weapons from gun owners. That support includes 77 percent of Democrats, 60 percent of Independents, and 45 percent of Republicans.
Assault weapons are capable of firing more bullets at a faster speed than manual-action hunting rifles. Buying back and banning assault weapons would go a long way toward preventing mass shootings. Sixty-eight percent of voters support banning the sale of military-grade assault weapons (such as AR-15 rifles) to civilians, including Democrats by a +77-point margin, Independents by a +39-point margin, and Republicans by a +9-point margin.
Eighty-nine percent of voters across party lines are in favor of requiring background checks for all gun purchases. This includes Democrats by a +86-point margin, Independents by a +84-point margin, and Republicans by a +75-point margin. Requiring background checks for unlicensed dealers would help close the “gun show loophole” that allows people with felony convictions and domestic abusers to buy guns.
Other common-sense gun reform proposals are supported by a bipartisan majority. For example, 81 percent of voters support banning the sale of guns to those under 21 years old; this support includes 91 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of Independents, and 73 percent of Republicans. In the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, both gunmen had just turned 18. Raising the age to buy a gun to 21 would help prevent mass shootings.
High-profile mass shootings have made people scared to go to places where they normally feel safe. People are worried about sending their kids to school and are scared to go to malls and grocery stores. Seventy-one percent of voters say they would feel safer with stricter gun control laws implemented in their community, including 88 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of Independents, and 51 percent of Republicans.
Voters clearly want stricter gun control policies and believe that they would feel safer with common-sense gun reform. However, 82 percent of voters don’t have faith in the federal government to handle the issue of gun policy. This includes 79 percent of Democrats, 86 percent of Independents, and 83 percent of Republicans.
The proposed gun reform legislation by the Senate is a step in the right direction but it does not go far enough to solve the gun violence epidemic in the United States. Mass shootings have become far too common, and only strict gun control can help solve the problem. A majority of voters clearly agree.
Sabrina Jacobs (@bri_jacobs) is a digital fellow at Data for Progress.
Bella Kumar (@bellakkumar) is a communications intern at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology
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