Illinoisans strongly back assault-weapons ban, higher FOID card age: poll
By GREG HINZ for Crain’s Business Chicago
December 8, 2022
CHICAGO - A bill on a fast track in Springfield that would outlaw assault weapons in the state and generally ban anyone under age 21 from possessing a firearm appears to have a big surge of public opinion behind it.
According to a poll released today by Everytown for Gun Safety, substantially more Illinois registered voters back an assault weapons ban as oppose it, 58% to 41%, with supporters outnumbering foes in virtually every region of the state, including culturally conservative southern Illinois.
There also is wide, majority support for the state to establish an anti-gun-trafficking unit, to dedicate more resources to “red flag” laws to keep guns out of the hands of people who have displayed violent tendencies, and to raise the age to obtain a Firearm Owners Identification card from 18 to 21.
The survey of 1,010 registered voters was conducted Oct. 20-27 by Global Strategy Group, a recognized firm that generally works for Democrats, and has a reported error margin of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Everytown is a national group co-founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It’s working with a local advocacy group, Protect Illinois Communities, which released the poll.
“Communities across our state have been ravaged by gun violence, and it’s clear that Illinoisans want our legislators to take action,” said Becky Carroll, a political consultant and Democratic activist who chairs Protect Illinois Communities.
Both organizations support a pending bill by Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highwood, that will be the subject of a public hearing on Monday and which could come up for a vote in the General Assembly’s lame duck session in early January.
Among findings of the survey:
• Illinoisans list crime just behind inflation as a top concern, with 28% citing crime and 19% gun violence, compared to 42% who cite the cost of living.
• Fifty-two percent of voters favor stronger gun laws, with only 18% opposing them. While support is overwhelming among Democrats, even 21% of Republicans surveyed back stronger gun laws.
• A ban on “assault weapons,” likely the most controversial section in Morgan’s bill, has the backing of 58% of those polled, with 46% of them “strongly” in support. Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed strongly oppose such a move, with 12% saying they somewhat oppose it.
• The proposed anti-trafficking unit, stronger use of red-flag laws and increase in the age to get a FOID card—all similar to provisions in Morgan’s bill—have strong support of 80%, 74% and 66%, respectively, the group reported.
