Marquette Law School Supreme Court Poll November 1-10, 2021

Court Items Only

(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.

A1: 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 395 39 39 39
Some of the time 368 37 37 76
Only now and then 180 18 18 94
Hardly at all 57 6 6 100
Skipped/Ref 4 0 0 100

B2: Supreme Court approval

Overall, how much do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Supreme Court is handling its job?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strongly approve 57 6 6 6
Somewhat approve 481 48 48 54
Somewhat disapprove 326 32 32 86
Strongly disapprove 134 13 13 99
Skipped/Ref 6 1 1 100

B2: Supreme Court approval, 2-cat

Overall, how much do you approve or disapprove of the way the US Supreme Court is handling its job?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Approve 538 54 54 54
Disapprove 460 46 46 99
Refused 6 1 1 100

B4: Most trusted 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) 160 16 16 16
The Presidency (the executive branch) 227 23 23 39
The US Supreme Court (the judicial branch) 605 60 60 99
Skipped/Ref 12 1 1 100

B5: Justice motivations

In general, what most often motivates Supreme Court justices’ decisions?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Mainly politics 302 30 30 30
Mainly the law 702 70 70 100

B6: SCOTUS ideology

[The US Supreme Court] In general, would you describe each of the following as…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Very conservative 154 15 15 15
Somewhat conservative 356 35 35 51
Moderate 396 39 39 90
Somewhat liberal 79 8 8 98
Very liberal 15 1 1 100
Skipped/Ref 4 0 0 100

B10: Personal importance of next justice

How important is the choice of the next Supreme Court justice to you personally?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Very important 452 45 45 45
Somewhat important 333 33 33 78
Not too important 172 17 17 95
Not at all important 47 5 5 100

B11: Justice partisan nomination balance

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 50 5 5 5
Probably a majority appointed by Democratic presidents 229 23 23 28
Probably a majority appointed by Republican presidents 440 44 44 72
Definitely a majority appointed by Republican presidents 278 28 28 99
Skipped/Ref 6 1 1 100

E1: Increase number of justices

[Increase the number of justices on the US Supreme Court] How much do you favor or oppose the following proposals affecting the Supreme Court?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor 155 15 15 15
Somewhat favor 329 33 33 48
Somewhat oppose 227 23 23 71
Strongly oppose 292 29 29 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100

E2: Institute fixed terms

[Have judges serve a fixed term on the court rather than serving life terms] How much do you favor or oppose the following proposals affecting the Supreme Court?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor 416 41 41 41
Somewhat favor 310 31 31 72
Somewhat oppose 153 15 15 88
Strongly oppose 123 12 12 100
Skipped/Ref 3 0 0 100

E3: Limit judicial review

[Limit the ability of the Supreme Court to review and set aside acts of Congress as unconstitutional] How much do you favor or oppose the following proposals affecting the Supreme Court?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strongly favor 84 8 8 8
Somewhat favor 351 35 35 43
Somewhat oppose 324 32 32 76
Strongly oppose 241 24 24 100
Skipped/Ref 3 0 0 100

E4: Knowledge of Commission

How much have you read or heard about the Presidential Commission on Supreme Court reform?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Nothing at all 456 45 45 45
Only a little 426 42 42 88
A fair bit 104 10 10 98
A lot 16 2 2 100
Skipped/Ref 2 0 0 100

H1: Favor/Oppose strike down Roe

[Overturn Roe versus Wade, thus strike down the 1973 decision that made abortion legal in all 50 states.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all 112 11 11 11
Heard of but not enough for an opinion 210 21 21 32
Favor 207 21 21 53
Oppose 474 47 47 100
Skipped/Ref 2 0 0 100

H2: Favor/Oppose extend 2nd Amendment

[Rule that the 2nd Amendment right to “keep and bear arms” protects the right to carry a gun outside the home.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all 83 8 8 8
Heard of but not enough for an opinion 193 19 19 28
Favor 464 46 46 74
Oppose 249 25 25 99
Skipped/Ref 14 1 1 100

H3: Favor/Oppose ban abortions after 15 weeks

[Rule to uphold a state law that (except in cases of medical emergencies or fetal abnormalities) bans abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all 78 8 8 8
Heard of but not enough for an opinion 225 22 22 30
Favor 372 37 37 67
Oppose 326 32 32 100
Skipped/Ref 3 0 0 100

H4: Favor/Oppose Federal suit in Texas

[Rule that the United States government has the right to bring suit in federal court to try to prohibit Texas Senate Bill 8, the law that bans almost all abortions in the state after about six weeks of pregnancy, from being enforced.] Do you favor or oppose the following possible future Supreme Court decisions, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Heard nothing at all 92 9 9 9
Heard of but not enough for an opinion 222 22 22 31
Heard of and favor the decision 386 38 38 70
Heard of and oppose the decision 300 30 30 100
Skipped/Ref 4 0 0 100

G6: Favor/Oppose TX abortion law

A new Texas law bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, once cardiac activity can be detected, and it allows any private citizen to sue anyone who performs an abortion or assists someone in obtaining an abortion. Do you favor or oppose this law, or haven’t you heard enough about this to have an opinion?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Favor 250 25 25 25
Oppose 592 59 59 84
Haven't heard enough 161 16 16 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100

Z1: Party ID

Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Republican 252 25 25 25
Democrat 309 31 31 56
Independent 340 34 34 90
Other/No preference 102 10 10 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100

Z2A: Party ID strenth

Would you call yourself a strong [Republican/Democrat] or a not very strong [Republican/Democrat]?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Strong 338 34 60 60
Not very strong 221 22 39 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100
(Missing) 443 44 NA NA

Z2B: Party ID lean

Do you think of yourself as closer to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Republican 120 12 27 27
Democratic 158 16 36 63
Neither 164 16 37 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100
(Missing) 562 56 NA NA

Z3: religious service attendance

Aside from weddings and funerals, how often do you attend religious services?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
More than once a week 57 6 6 6
Once a week 174 17 17 23
Once or twice a month 56 6 6 29
A few times a year 165 16 16 45
Seldom 255 25 25 70
Never 297 30 30 100

Z4: born-again or evangelical

Would you describe yourself as a "born-again" or evangelical Christian, or not?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Yes, would 245 24 24 24
No, would not 759 76 76 100

Z5: political ideology

In general, would you describe your political views as…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Very conservative 100 10 10 10
Somewhat conservative 200 20 20 30
Moderate 429 43 43 73
Somewhat liberal 175 17 17 90
Very liberal 100 10 10 100

Z6: talk to neighbors

Thinking back to the months prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in the US, how often did you talk with any of your neighbors?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Basically, every day 114 11 11 11
A few times a week 339 34 34 45
A few times a month 245 24 24 70
Once a month 94 9 9 79
Less than once a month 140 14 14 93
Not at all 72 7 7 100

Z7: volunteering

We are interested in volunteer activities for which people are not paid, except perhaps expenses.  In the last 12 months, have you done any volunteer activities through or for an organization?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Yes 278 28 28 28
No 726 72 72 100
Skipped/Ref 1 0 0 100

gender

Do you consider yourself to be…?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Male 467 46 47 47
Female 515 51 52 99
Another gender 7 1 1 100
(Missing) 15 1 NA NA

age

Age - 4 Categories
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
18-29 219 22 22 22
30-44 235 23 23 45
45-59 236 23 23 69
60+ 313 31 31 100
(Missing) 1 0 NA NA

party ID, 5-cat

Party ID with leaners separate
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Republican 252 25 25 25
Lean Republican 120 12 12 37
Independent 164 16 16 53
Lean Democrat 158 16 16 69
Democrat 309 31 31 100
Refused 1 0 0 100

party ID, leaners as partisans

Party ID with leaners included
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Republican 371 37 37 37
Independent 164 16 16 53
Democrat 467 47 47 100
Refused 1 0 0 100

education

Education - 5 categories
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Less than HS 87 9 9 9
HS graduate 294 29 29 38
Vocational/tech school/some college/ associates 269 27 27 65
Bachelor's degree 159 16 16 81
Post grad study/professional degree 195 19 19 100

income

Household income
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Less than $30k 273 27 27 27
$30k to less than $50k 186 19 19 46
$50k to less than $75k 188 19 19 64
$75k to less than $100k 124 12 12 77
$100k or more 154 15 15 92
DK/NA/Ref 79 8 8 100

marital status

Which group describes your marital status?
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Single, that is never married 209 21 21 21
Single, living with a partner 111 11 11 32
Married 511 51 51 83
Separated 24 2 2 85
Widowed 42 4 4 89
Divorced 108 11 11 100

race/ethnicity

Recoded panel variable
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
White Non-Hispanic 614 61 61 61
Black Non-Hispanic 120 12 12 73
Hispanic 167 17 17 90
Other 86 9 9 98
Refused 16 2 2 100

religious affiliation

Religious affiliation
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Born-again Protestant 163 16 16 16
Mainline Protestant 150 15 15 31
Roman Catholic 240 24 24 55
No religion 315 31 31 86
Other religion 133 13 13 100
Skipped/Ref 3 0 0 100