Loading…
Views of democracy, election integrity, voting rules, the Electoral College, political violence, and civil liberties for unpopular groups.
| Question | Source | Years | Waves |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-party control versus split control of government Do you think it is better when one party controls both the presidency and Congress; better when control is split between the Democrats and Republicans, or doesn’t it matter? | ANES | 1992–2024 | 10 |
| Satisfaction with how democracy works in the U.S. {INTERVIEWER: DO NOT PROBE DON’T KNOW} | ANES | 2004–2024 | 6 |
| Approval of sit-ins and demonstrations to stop government Suppose all other methods have failed and the person decides to try to stop the government from going about its usual activities with sit-ins, mass meetings, demonstrations, and things like that? Would you approve of that, disapprove, or would it depend on the circumstances? | ANES | 1968–1976 | 5 |
| Approval of civil disobedience against unjust laws How about refusing to obey a law which one thinks is unjust, if the person feels so strongly about it that he is willing to go to jail rather than obey the law? Would you approve of a person doing that, Disapprove, or would it depend on the circumstances? | ANES | 1968–1974 | 4 |
| Approval of participating in permitted protests How about taking part in protest meetings or marches that are permitted by the local authorities? Would you approve of taking part, disapprove, or would it depend on the circumstances? | ANES | 1968–1974 | 4 |
| How well democracy worked in America ten years ago B. And what about 10 years ago? How well did democracy work in America then? | GSS | 2004–2024 | 3 |
| Importance of more opportunities for public decision-making E. That people be given more opportunities to participate in public decision-making | GSS | 2004–2024 | 3 |
| How well democracy works in America today A. How well does democracy work in America today? | GSS | 2004–2024 | 3 |
| Importance of government protecting minority rights B. That government authorities respect and protect the rights of minorities | GSS | 2004–2024 | 3 |
| How well democracy will work in America in ten years C. And how about 10 years from now? How well do you think democracy will work in America then? | GSS | 2004–2024 | 3 |
| Importance of civil disobedience against government actions F. That citizens may engage in acts of civil disobedience when they oppose government actions. | GSS | 2004–2024 | 3 |
| Satisfaction with how democracy works in the U.S. On the whole, are you satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied, or not at all satisfied with the way democracy works in the United States? | ANES | 1996–2002 | 3 |
| Support for congressional term limits Do you favor or oppose such a law? | ANES | 1992–1998 | 3 |
| Satisfaction with how democracy works in America On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied, or not at all satisfied with the way democracy works in the United States? | GSS | 2000–2024 | 2 |
| Importance of understanding people with other opinions F. To try to understand the reasoning of people with other opinions | GSS | 2004–2014 | 2 |
| Referendums are a good way to decide political questions C. Referendums are a good way to decide important political questions. | GSS | 2004–2014 | 2 |
| Honesty of vote counting in last national election Thinking of the last national election in America, how honest was it regarding the counting and reporting of the votes? | GSS | 2004–2014 | 2 |
| Fairness of last national election to candidates Thinking of the last national election in America, how fair was it regarding the opportunities of the candidates and parties to campaign? | GSS | 2004–2014 | 2 |
| Bigger election problem: ineligible voting or blocked voters If you had to choose, which of the following do you think is a bigger problem for U.S. elections? Ineligible voters being allowed to vote, or eligible voters not being allowed to vote? | GSS | 2024 | 1 |
| Elections in the U.S. are fair Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? [Elections in the U.S. are fair] | CES | 2024 | 1 |
| State or local government ran a fair 2024 election Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? [Your state or local government conducted a fair and accurate election in 2024] | CES | 2024 | 1 |
| Importance of governments respecting democratic rights A. That governments respect democratic rights whatever the circumstances | GSS | 2014 | 1 |
| Importance of citizens' right not to vote D. That citizens have the right not to vote. | GSS | 2014 | 1 |
| Importance of voting rights for long-term resident noncitizens C. That long-term residents of a country, who are not citizens, have the right to vote in that country's national elections | GSS | 2014 | 1 |
| Importance of government treating everyone equally C. That government authorities treat everybody equally regardless of their position in society | GSS | 2004 | 1 |
| Whether democratic rights should be restricted by government Here are some views regarding America's political system. Which of these statements is closer to your view? | GSS | 2004 | 1 |
| Importance of choosing what to do in life for freedom E. Freedom is having the power to choose and do what I want in life. | GSS | 2000 | 1 |
| How much freedom Americans have today How much freedom do you think Americans have today? Would you say they have complete freedom, a great deal of freedom, a moderate degree of freedom, not much freedom, or no freedom at all? | GSS | 2000 | 1 |
| Americans have more or less freedom than in the past Do you think Americans today have more freedom, less freedom, or about the same amount of freedom as in the past? | GSS | 2000 | 1 |
| Political participation as part of freedom D. Freedom is having the right to participate in politics and elections. | GSS | 2000 | 1 |
| How well the American democratic system works All in all, how well or badly do you think the system of democracy in America works these days? PLEASE CHECK OnE BOX ONLY. | GSS | 1996 | 1 |
| Elections make government pay attention to the people D. Elections are a good way of making governments pay attention to what the people think | GSS | 1996 | 1 |
| Treating dissenters with leniency and an open mind D. It is best to treat dissenters with leniency and an open mind, since new ideas are the lifeblood of progressive change | GSS | 1990 | 1 |