The proportion of Republicans who say “everything possible” should be done to facilitate voting has dropped since 2018, according to a Pew poll published this week.
Why does it matter: State legislatures introduced at least 361 electoral restriction bills this year, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice. Advocates of voting rights say that many of the bills, if passed, will disproportionately affect voters of color as well as people with disabilities.
By the numbers:
To make voting easier:
- 59% of American adults say that everything possible must be done to facilitate the vote of all citizens, while 39% say that citizens must prove that they want to vote by registering in advance.
- 85% of Democratic and Democratic independents say that everything possible should be done to facilitate the vote of all citizens, while 14% say that citizens should prove that they really want to vote by registering in advance.
- 28% of Republicans and Republicans with a Republican tendency say that everything possible should be done to facilitate the vote of all citizens, while 71% say that American citizens must prove that they really want to vote by registering in advance.
- “While 84% of black adults and 69% of Hispanic adults say that everything possible should be done to facilitate voting, only about half of white adults say the same,” wrote Pew.
On electoral security:
- 61% of American adults say yes not make elections less secure if electoral rules are changed to facilitate registration and voting.
- 82% of Democrats and Democratically independent independents say the same thing.
- 37% of Republicans and independents with Republican tendencies say the same.
Flashback: The most dramatic change since 2018 was among Republicans, according to Pew.
- Before the 2018 midterm elections, 48% of Republicans said that everything possible should be done to facilitate voting, while 51% said that citizens should prove that they really want to vote by registering in advance.
Methodology: The data were extracted from a panel survey conducted from March 1 to March 7, 2021. A total of 12,055 panelists responded from 13,545 participants, for a response rate of 89%. The sampling error margin for the full sample of 12,055 respondents is ± 1.5 percentage points.