More Americans cite equality concerns, but most back voting laws: poll

While most Americans back their states’ voting laws, many also hold concerns over equitable voting, according to a new survey released on Friday.

A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that roughly three-fourths of respondents — 73 percent — believe voting in their state is “about right” while 14 percent say it is “too easy” and 13 percent say it is “too difficult.”

But fewer believe that a “great deal of progress” or “a lot of progress” has been made over the last 50 years in achieving equal treatment for African Americans in voting rights — just 48 percent. 

That percentage is down from 57 percent when Americans were polled on this issue in 2018. 

Friday’s poll found that 20 percent, instead, think that “only a little progress” or “no progress at all” had been made in achieving equal treatment for Black Americans when it came to voting rights — up from 14 percent in 2018.

Additionally, 65 percent of those surveyed believe more needs to be done to achieve equal treatment for African Americans in voting rights. 

The poll comes as Democrats have been unsuccessful at trying to pass voting rights legislation given the 50-50 Senate divide and several moderate Democrats who have voiced their opposition to changing the filibuster to allow legislation to pass with that narrow majority. 

Earlier in January, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) voted with all 50 Republican senators against nixing the 60-vote rule for voting rights legislation, a move that was expected but came as Democrats were under pressure to pass voting rights legislation. 

The AP-NORC poll was conducted between Feb. 18 and Feb. 21 and surveyed 1,289 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.