2 in 3 support stricter gun control laws: poll

Approximately 2 in 3 Americans surveyed for a new poll said that they support greater restrictions on gun ownership after a spate of recent mass shootings that have highlighted debates on expanding background checks and other measures.

Sixty-four percent of registered voters said in the Morning Consult-Politico tracking poll released Wednesday that they supported “stricter gun control laws in the United States,” while 28 percent said they were opposed to tougher legislation.

Expanding background checks to all gun sales and preventing people flagged by health providers as mentally unstable from owning guns were the most popular gun ownership restrictions, pollsters found, with each supported by 83 percent of respondents.

More than three-quarters — 76 percent — also supported banning people on federal watchlists from owning guns, 73 percent said that they would support establishing waiting periods of three days before a gun can be taken home after it is purchased and 70 percent backed the creation of a national database of gun sales.

Almost half — 46 percent — said that limiting gun ownership was more important than protecting the Second Amendment, while 44 percent said that gun ownership rights were a higher priority. The remainder said they didn’t know or did not have an opinion.

Democrats also had a clear edge over Republicans when it comes to which party voters surveyed trust to handle the issue. According to the poll, 45 percent said they trusted Democrats in Congress more to handle gun policy, while 34 percent said they trusted congressional Republicans more.

The Politico-Morning Consult survey included responses from 1,992 registered voters in the U.S. from April 9 to 12. The margin of error is 2 percentage points.