Polls

Public Opinion Polls on Money-in-Politics

This list of polls, collected over the past ten years, is provided as a service to citizens and candidates who would like an deeper understanding of the public’s interest and understanding of this issue.  I am currently running way behind in posting new polls but here are some earlier polls.

(If you know of a relevant poll and you don’t see it listed below, please contact [email protected].  Some older links below may be dead but are still listed.  If you are interested in one of them, you may be able to locate it through the pollster or the sponsoring organization.)

March 2018 – Follow the Leader, Exploring American Support for Democracy and Authoritarianism (POLL)

June 2016 – Americans Say Money In Politics Is A Top Five Concern This November.  Issue One-Ipsos (POLL)

September 2015 – 75% in U.S. See Widespread Government Corruption. Gallup (POLL)

September 2015 – Bloomberg Poll: Americans Want Supreme Court to Turn Off Political Spending Spigot.  (POLL)

December 2015 – Democracy Corps National.  Many questions including money-in-politics questions.  (POLL)

November 2015 – Americans’ Views on Money in Politics (POLL)

December 2015 – Broad Support for Small Donor-Driven Reform of Campaigns (POLL)

November 2015 – Perceptions of elected officials and the role of money in politics.  (POLL)

September 2015 – Bloomberg Poll: Americans Want Supreme Court to Turn Off Political Spending Spigot (POLL)

September 2015 – NEW MAYDAY.US POLL:  Voters of Every Political Stripe Agree on the Need for Fundamental Reform to the Campaign Finance System (POLL)

June 2015 – Most Americans say that money has too much of an influence on politicians and that campaign finance changes are needed.  (POLL)

February 2015 – Chicago voters overwhelmingly endorse campaign finance reform. (ARTICLE)

November 2014 – The 2014 midterm election demonstrated voters’ dissatisfaction with the current state of campaigns and campaign spending.  (POLL)

October 2014 – Small Business Owners Feel Disadvantaged When it Comes to the Electoral Process, Support Significant Reforms.  (POLL)

August 2014 – Recent survey research of likely November 2014 voters finds solid opposition to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, and support for a constitutional amendment to overturn it. Importantly, the arguments made against the amendment are unconvincing to voters. The issue of reducing the influence of money in politics is very important to voters, who are ripe for reform.

July 2014 – An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Battling big money in the Senate battleground with real consequences for 2014.   (POLL)

June 2014 – The American Majority Is A Populist Majority. Americans believe it is time to clean out the political stables.  (MEMO)

May 2014 –  New battleground survey shows strong and sustainable support for proposals to re- duce influence of money in politics

February 2014 – Fully 90 percent of American voters think it’s very or somewhat important to reduce the effects of money in politics, according to the poll, which was conducted for the nonprofit group Fund for the Republic.  (POLL)

December 2013 – National Voter Survey Findings.  While many national polls seeking to understand America’s deep dissatisfaction with our government show a moderate to deep divide along party and ideological lines, this poll suggests overwhelming consensus amongst Democrats, Republicans, Independents and non-affiliated voters around the issue of corruption in the American election system and the need to institute tough, meaningful reforms.

November 2013 – Revolt Against Washington and Corrupted Politics.  New battleground survey shows how members championing change on money in politics gain an edge in anti-incumbent time.  (POLL)

October 2013 – Pew Poll: 19 Percent Trust Government.

May/ June 2013 – Bi-partisian poll.  Large Majorities Of U.S. Business Executives Agree On The Problem.

March 2013 – Siena Poll: Strong support for public campaign financing.

March 2013 – Democracy and the Policy Preferences of Wealthy Americans.  “We report the results of a pilot study of the political views and activities of the top 1 percent or so of US wealth-holders.”  (POLL)

February 2013 – Effect of candidate refusing to take PAC money.  (POLL)

December 2012 – Statewide polling in New York shows deep and broad support for comprehensive campaign finance reform.  (POLL)

November 2012 – Voters Push Back against Big Money Politics,  (POLL)

September 2012 – Poll: Americans largely in favor of campaign spending limitations.  (STORY) (POLL)

July 2012 – Americans Want Next President to Prioritize Jobs, Corruption.  (POLL)

May 2012 – Money in Politics is a Ballot Box Issue.  (POLL)

April 2012 – National Survey: Super PACs, Corruption, and Democracy (POLL)

January 2012 – Two years after Citizens United, voters fed up with money in politics.  (POLL)

October 2011 – Americans’ Approval of Congress Drops to Single Digits.  (POLL)

June 2011 – CBS News poll: United States of Influence.  (ARTICLE)

January 2011 – Nationwide Voter Survey by Hart Research Associates for Free Speech for People showing overwhelming support to end corporate personhood through a constitutional amendment. Results (PDF).

November 2010 – Polling of 1,200 general election voters shows broad, bipartisan support for proposed legislation to reduce the role of big money in U.S. Senate and House races. This support is fueled by the concern these voters have over the role money played in the recent election. (MORE)

September 2010 – Polling in Key Battleground Districts Finds Voters Will Reward Candidates who Support Fair Elections Now Act. Support is bipartisan, with 76% of Democrats in support, 65% of Independents backing the measure, 56% of Republicans supporting, and 57% of Tea Party members supporting Fair Elections. Detailed results (PDF).

August 2010 – More than 400 likely voters in each of 18 Congressional Districts and more than 600 likely voters in each of 4 states were interviewed by Voter Roll Call.  (POLL)

July 2010 –  Nationwide polling conducted on behalf of the Fair Elections coalition shows broad and strong bipartisan support for a reformed campaign finance system that would reduce the role of big money in U.S. Senate and House races. Strong messaging for this proposal, centered on themes of accountability, fairness, and making sure voters are heard, beats a strong opposition message by wide margins.  (REPORT)

June 2010 -California Fair Elections Act.  Findings from a survey of 800 likely voters in California.

June 2010 – More than three in four voters say Congress should support a Constitutional amendment if needed to limit the amount corporations can spend.

95% agree that “Corporations spend money on politics mainly to buy influence in government and elect people who are favorable to their financial interests.” (74% strongly agree)
74% say that they would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who pledged to support a Constitutional Amendment limiting corporate spending in elections. (STORY) (POLL)

March 2010 polling in 19 battleground Congressional districts shows strong support for Congress taking major steps to reduce the influence of special interests in our elections, bolstering the case for comprehensive legislation – not incremental steps – to fix our broken political system. (DISTRICT BY DISTRICT DETAILS ), ( MEMO)

February 2010 – Strong majorities disagree with the Citizens United decision. Poll finds that 80 percent of Americans oppose the ruling, including 65 percent who “strongly” oppose it. ” The court’s ruling is opposed, respectively, by 76, 81 and 85 percent of Republicans, independents and Democrats; and by 73, 85 and 86 percent of conservatives, moderates and liberals.” (STORY) (POLL)

February 2010 survey (PDF) of likely voters found that voters supported the Fair Elections Now Act, 62 percent to 31 percent. Among independents, support rose to 67 percent. The poll also found that voters were more likely to support a candidate who backed such reforms. Detailed results (PDF).

February 2009  National polling on support for a proposal to tackle big money in Congressional elections.  Here (PDF) is polling from February 2009. 
“More than two-thirds of voters (67%) support providing qualified congressional candidates a limited amount public funding if they agree to take no large contributions, while just 20% are opposed and 11% are undecided.”

2005 – Public Opinion Polls Concerning Public Financing of Federal Elections 1972 – 2000.  A Critical Analysis and Proposed Future Directions.  (REPORT)

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