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GUN CONTROL

  • 36% Think States Should Set Gun Laws, 34% Say Feds

    Voters now give the edge to state governments over the federal government when asked who should be responsible for gun ownership laws. 

    Thirty-six percent (36%) think state governments should set those laws, while 34% believe the feds should have that responsibility, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventeen percent (17%) feel gun laws should be up to local governments. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 13-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 64% Think It Would Be Bad If Only Government Had Guns

    Voters still favor more gun control including a ban on semi-automatic and so-called assault-type weapons but continue to strongly oppose a complete ban on private gun ownership.

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States needs stricter gun control laws. Forty-three percent (43%) disagree and oppose more gun control.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 13-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 64% Who Favor More Gun Control Believe Gun Crime Has Gone Up

    Most Americans recognize that there are more gun owners in the United States today than there were 20 years ago but don’t know that gun crime in the country has gone down in that same period of time.

    The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just seven percent (7%) of American Adults believe there are fewer gun owners in this country now than 20 years ago. Sixty-three percent (63%) think there are more gun owners in America today, while 17% say the number is about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

    The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on May 8-9, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 49% Favor Stricter Gun Control Laws

    Most voters continue to support increased background checks for potential gun buyers but only half want stricter gun control laws. Most also say the gun control issue will be important to how they vote in the next congressional election.

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 73% of Likely U.S. Voters think strict background checks should be required for anyone to buy a gun in the United States. Only 18% disagree. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

    How did you do in The Rasmussen Challenge?  Final results are in - check the leaderboard.   

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 19-20, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 44% Think Government Effort to Confiscate All Guns Likely

    A sizable number of Americans think the federal government is coming after their guns.

    Forty-four percent (44%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that the government will try to confiscate all privately owned guns over the next generation or so, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifty percent (50%) feel gun confiscation is unlikely. This includes 20% who think the government is Very Likely to make this move and 23% who say it’s Not At All Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 41% Think Government Should Keep A List of All Gun Owners

    Voters are closely divided over whether the federal government should keep a list of every gun owner in the country. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should maintain a database with the name and address of all gun owners in the United States. Slightly more (47%) disagree and oppose a government database of all gun owners. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 51% Think Background Checks for Gun Buyers Will Not Reduce Violent Crime

    Support for requiring a strict background check to buy a gun remains high, but most voters believe these checks will not reduce the level of violent crime in America.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Likely U.S. voters believe a strict background check should be required for anyone to buy a gun in the United States. Only 16% disagree.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 52% Want More Gun Control Laws; 10% Favor Handgun Ban

    Just over half of voters think the country needs more gun control, but most feel safer living in a neighborhood where someone can own a gun for their own protection.

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States needs stricter gun control laws. Forty-two percent (42%) disagree. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

    The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 26-27, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 22% See More Gun Control As Best Curb to Mass Murders

    Support for banning semi-automatic and assault-type weapons has changed little, but Americans feel more strongly than ever that treating mental illness will do more than stricter gun control laws to help prevent incidents like the Connecticut school shooting. 

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that 55% think there should be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault-type weapons, showing no change from late December. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

    The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on February 7-8, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

  • 59% Still Think Tougher Gun Control Laws Likely

    Most Americans continue to believe that Congress and the president are likely to pass tougher gun control laws, and nearly half think the Obama administration has done a good job responding to the December elementary school shooting in Connecticut.

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of Americans still feel the United States needs stricter gun control laws. Forty-five percent (45%) disagree. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

    (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

    The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on February 7-8, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.