Everytown Statewide Poll Shows Widespread Support for Gun Safety Legislation
Ban on assault weapons, other measures are supported by majority of Illinoisans
December 8, 2022
CHICAGO - Today, Everytown for Gun Safety released a poll showing that gun safety legislation has strong backing from Illinoisans across the state. The poll reveals widespread support for a number of the measures included in State Representative Bob Morgan’s comprehensive legislative package, the Protect Illinois Communities Act, introduced last week, which includes a ban on assault weapons, establishing an interdisciplinary statewide team to combat the flow of illegal guns into the state, and expanding the ability of police to keep firearms away from dangerous people.
Overall, 52% of Illinoisans believe gun laws in Illinois should be stronger, compared to just 18% who believe they should be weaker. Nearly three quarters of Black voters and 56% of Hispanic voters believe gun laws should be stronger, and 55% of voters across the state are more likely to back a candidate who supports stronger gun laws over one who opposes them.
“The majority of Illinoisians support stronger gun violence prevention measures, and it is time for the lawmakers that represent them to follow suit,” said Valerie Burgest, Survivor Fellow with the Everytown Survivor Network and co-Chapter Lead for the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We will continue to advocate for popular gun safety measures that will save lives, and encourage Illinois lawmakers to pass the Protect Illinois Communities Act.”
Everytown is working closely with Protect Illinois Communities, an Illinois-based advocacy group formed to support passage of this legislation through a statewide paid media and grassroots organizing campaign.
“Communities across our state have been ravaged by gun violence, and it’s clear that Illinoisans want our legislators to take action to save lives and prevent these senseless tragedies,” said Becky Carroll, Chair of Protect Illinois Communities. “By passing comprehensive gun safety legislation, we can ban deadly weapons, like assault weapons, that are designed to kill as many people as quickly as possible and implement other important measures to keep us safe. The NRA and the powerful gun lobby may try to block these common sense policies in the interest of profits, but Illinoisans are united in their support for gun violence prevention.”
Specific gun safety policies also have support from the majority of Illinoisans. For example, 58% of Illinoisans support a ban on assault weapons, including 60% of Hispanic voters, 64% of Black voters, and 56% of white voters. While the ban has strong support in the Chicagoland area, it also has majority support in Southern Illinois, and near-even support in the far Northwest and Central regions of the state. Measures to increase resources for red flag law implementation are supported by three-quarters of Illinoisans, and establishing an interdisciplinary statewide team of different law enforcement agencies to stop the flow of illegal guns in the state has 80% support. Additionally, two-thirds of voters support increasing the minimum age to obtain a FOID card from 18 to 21.
