We are in the home stretch now, folks, and everyone’s wondering who the next President of the United States will be. However, it appears there is something else on the American people’s minds: What happens after the outcome is decided.
A new Scripps/Ipsos poll shows that the majority of Americans are concerned about political violence after the election.
Most Americans expect violence following Election Day but remain confident their vote will be counted accurately and are willing to accept the results of the presidential race, a new Scripps News/Ipsos poll found.
The survey of 1,000 Americans finds bipartisan concerns over unrest after Nov. 5. Overall, 62% of respondents – including 70% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans – say violence related to the election is “somewhat“ or “very likely.”
And among respondents in the key battleground state of Wisconsin, which was also measured as part of the survey, concerns over violence are higher, at 72%.
And many, 51%, say they would support using the U.S. military to prevent potential threats around Election Day.
But a large majority, 77%, also says they are willing to accept the election results if their preferred candidate loses.
Many Americans, regardless of party, would support using the military to prevent unrest on or after Election Day. This includes 61 percent of Republicans and 51 percent of Democrats. Additionally, about 56 percent believe the state of U.S. democracy is “weak.”
When asked how they felt about the election, 37 percent reported feeling “anxious.” About 32 percent said they felt “hopeful,” while 21 percent said they felt “ready.”
Most Americans indicated they are willing to accept the outcome of the election even if their preferred candidate does not win. Three-fourths of respondents indicated this, including 85 percent of Democrats and 77 percent of Republicans.
A small percentage indicated they would support the use of violence to ensure their candidate wins. About eight percent said they believe the use of violent force to ensure that Trump does not win is justified while six percent indicated violence to ensure Trump wins is acceptable.
The Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California Davis published a report indicating that 14 percent of Americans firmly believe a civil war could erupt within the next few years.
Given the effect political division has had on American society over the past decade, it is no surprise that most expect some form of violence related to the election – regardless of the outcome. America is a divided nation at the moment, and it does not appear that the rifts will heal anytime soon.
Further compounding the issue is the fact that Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are in a statistical dead heat at the moment, meaning that it is anyone’s race. Regardless of who wins, this will likely be a close election and the outcome will almost certainly be disputed by the losing party. It might be quite a while before the public even knows which candidate will be the next president. In light of this, the likelihood of violence remains high. The only question is: How violent would it get?