C-SPAN survey reveals partisan divides and a ‘crisis of confidence’ about 2020 election

A wide-ranging poll conducted by C-SPAN reveals that a hefty majority of Americans — 78% — favor the idea of requiring all citizens to show government-issued IDs to vote. That has the support of 93% of Republicans, 79% of independents and 67% of Democrats. The survey also revealed that Americans are not so confident in one another when it comes to who or what to vote for, and how the process works.

“A majority of Americans (53%) have little/no confidence in the wisdom of the American people when it comes to making choices on Election Day,” the survey analysis said. “There is a partisan divide on the question: While a majority of Republicans (54%) do have confidence in voters, both Democrats (43%) and independents (45%) do not.”

Reputation wise, the 2020 presidential election gets mixed reviews. A majority — 53% — are confident that it will be open and fair. But there is a pronounced partisan divide: 72% of Republicans said the election would be open fair, along with 55% of independents. Only 39% of Democrats, however, agreed with this.

Meanwhile, another 44% overall think elections are rigged “in favor of the rich and powerful”; 28% of Republicans, 50% of independents and 53% of Democrats agreed.

The sides found a little unity on one idea, and that is the gravity of elections themselves.

The poll found that seven out of 10 Americans say they go to the polls because they believe “elections have consequences”; 70% of Republicans, 74% of independents and 71% of Democrats agreed.

Still, elections bring out a spectrum of reactions. The poll also found that 58% of all Americans believe foreign governments pose a threat to U.S. elections, a belief shared by 41% of Republicans — along with 58% of independents and 77% of Democrats.

Americans are also jittery about security. Just 31% are confident the government protects elections from foreign interference, a sentiment also marked by partisan reaction: 54% of Republicans, 27% of independents and 16% of Democrats agree.

“Right now, there is a crisis of confidence affecting our democracy,” said Cliff Young, IPSOS president. “By and large, the American people do not believe our elections are safe from foreign interference, and there is vast partisan disagreement over whether the next election will be open and fair. Whether this lack of confidence can be repaired before next November remains to be seen.”

Cynicism about elections, however, has not entirely engulfed the nation. The poll also found that only 12% of Americans overall say they don’t vote because they believe elections don’t bring “real change” in their day to day lives; 8% of Republicans, 11% of independents and 11% of Democrats agree.

The C-SPAN/Ipsos poll of 1,039 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 23-30 and released Thursday.