Marquette Law School Supreme Court Poll September 8-15, 2020

(Percentages are rounded to whole numbers for reporting of results. Frequencies have been rounded to whole numbers but percentages are calculated based on non-integer weighted sample sizes.)

Results for survey items among all respondents are presented here (unless otherwise indicated). Please note that some questions are only asked of particular groups of respondents. In these instances, the row “NA’s” includes the number and percent of total respondents omitted from the question. These omitted cases are ignored when calculating the “Valid” and “Cumulative” percent columns.

Q1: voter registration

Some people are registered to vote and others are not. Are you registered to vote in the precinct or ward where you now live, or aren't you?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Yes, registered to vote 1384 91 91 91
No, not registered to vote 136 9 9 100
SKIPPED ON WEB 3 0 0 100

Q2: interest in politics

Some people seem to follow what's going on in politics most of the time, whether there's an election going on or not. Others aren't that interested. How often do you follow what's going on in politics…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Most of the time 698 46 46 46
Some of the time 555 36 36 82
Only now and then 195 13 13 95
Hardly at all 75 5 5 100

Q3A: confidence in Supreme Court

[The US Supreme Court] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A great deal 176 12 12 12
Quite a lot 423 28 28 39
Some 679 45 45 84
Very little 191 13 13 96
None at all 51 3 3 100
SKIPPED ON WEB 4 0 0 100

Q3B: confidence in Congress

[Congress] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A great deal 39 3 3 3
Quite a lot 157 10 10 13
Some 639 42 42 55
Very little 526 35 35 89
None at all 149 10 10 99
SKIPPED ON WEB 13 1 1 100

Q3C: confidence in the Presidency

[The Presidency] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A great deal 232 15 15 15
Quite a lot 244 16 16 31
Some 358 23 23 55
Very little 299 20 20 74
None at all 387 25 25 100
SKIPPED ON WEB 4 0 0 100

Q3D: confidence in state Supreme Court

[Your state Supreme Court or highest court in your state] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A great deal 121 8 8 8
Quite a lot 408 27 27 35
Some 711 47 47 81
Very little 211 14 14 95
None at all 56 4 4 99
SKIPPED ON WEB 16 1 1 100

Q3E: confidence in the police

[The police] Here is a list of institutions in American society. How much confidence do you have in each one?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
A great deal 305 20 20 20
Quite a lot 434 29 29 49
Some 492 32 32 81
Very little 189 12 12 93
None at all 99 6 6 100
SKIPPED ON WEB 4 0 0 100

Q8: most trustworthy branch

Of the three branches of US government, which one do you trust the most?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
The US Congress (the legislative branch) 245 16 16 16
The Presidency (the executive branch) 364 24 24 40
The US Supreme Court (the judicial branch) 895 59 59 99
SKIPPED ON WEB 19 1 1 100

Q9: election 2020 (likely voters only)

[LIKELY VOTERS ONLY] If the election for president were being held today and the candidates were Joe Biden, the Democrat, Donald Trump, the Republican, Jo Jorgensen, the Libertarian, and Howie Hawkins, the Green Party, for whom would you vote?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Biden 555 36 50 50
Trump 437 29 40 90
Jorgensen 31 2 3 93
Hawkins 17 1 2 94
Vote for someone else 30 2 3 97
Would not vote 26 2 2 100
SKIPPED ON WEB 4 0 0 100
(Missing) 422 28 NA NA

Q10: SCOTUS ideology

In general, would you describe the US Supreme Court as…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Very conservative 83 5 5 5
Conservative 458 30 30 35
Moderate 815 54 54 89
Liberal 134 9 9 98
Very liberal 28 2 2 100
SKIPPED ON WEB 5 0 0 100

Q11: SCOTUS party appointments

What is your guess as to whether a majority of the current US Supreme Court Justices were appointed by Democratic or Republican presidents?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Definitely a majority appointed by Democratic presidents 58 4 4 4
Probably a majority appointed by Democratic presidents 362 24 24 28
Probably a majority appointed by Republican presidents 773 51 51 78
Definitely a majority appointed by Republican presidents 313 21 21 99
SKIPPED ON WEB 16 1 1 100

Q12: can POTUS ignore SCOTUS

If the Supreme Court rules against the president in a case, does the president have the power to ignore that ruling, or is the president required to do as the ruling says?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
The president has the power to ignore the ruling 250 16 16 16
The president is required to do as the ruling says 1255 82 82 99
SKIPPED ON WEB 17 1 1 100

Q13: judicial review

Does the Supreme Court have the power to review laws passed by Congress and to declare them invalid if they conflict with the Constitution?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Yes, the Supreme Court has this power 1324 87 87 87
No, the Supreme Court does not have this power 191 13 13 99
SKIPPED ON WEB 9 1 1 100

Q14: should president make laws

When Congress fails to act, should the president have the power to make laws on his own?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Yes, president should be able to make laws 423 28