NEW POLL SHOWS STRONG SUPPORT FOR CIVIC EDUCATION ACROSS PARTY LINES

Nearly 80 percent of voters, both Republican and Democrat, believe that civic education is important, and a majority support the Civics Secures Democracy Act, according to recent national polling of more than 2,300 likely voters.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Voters across party lines strongly support civic education, according to a new poll released today by iCivics and More Perfect. Nearly 80 percent of likely voters feel that civic education is important, with 77 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Independents agreeing. Nearly 70 percent of likely voters also agreed that civic education is more important now than it was five years ago.

The poll, which was conducted September 15–26, 2022 by the independent polling firm Cygnal, asked 2,385 likely general election voters, including an oversample of 1,195 GOP primary voters and 803 K–12 parents, a detailed series of questions about civic education.

Additionally, more than half of likely voters showed initial support for the Civics Secures Democracy Act, and support for the bill increased among likely voters from both parties when provided with further information. Only 17 percent opposed.

"Civic education has some of the highest support levels of any issue I have tested this year," Cygnal President Brent Buchanan said. "It proves there is broad support across all segments of the American electorate for schools to provide more civic education and Congress to better fund it."

The survey data will be released today at the "Our Civics—Safeguarding American Democracy" event at the Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute. This event celebrating National Civics Day is a part of the More Perfect initiative of the Partnership for American Democracy, along with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Our Common Purpose at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the nation's Presidential centers. The program features discussions with policymakers, practitioners, and partners in civic education on the vital role of universal civic learning in our constitutional democracy.

The full poll is available upon request. The key findings of the poll are below.

Republicans and Democrats both strongly support civic education

• 79% of respondents said that teaching more about civics is important (77% GOP primary voters; 80% likely Democratic voters; and 75% of parents).
• 69% of respondents said that teaching civics is more important than it was five years ago (66% GOP primary voters and 73% of Democratic primary voters).
• 65% of respondents support more funding of civic education (59% GOP primary voters and 74% Democratic primary voters; and 64% parents).
• 47% of respondents viewed civic education as making it more likely for youth to join voluntary military service, including 53% of K–12 parents.
• 61% of respondents see civic education as making it more likely for youth to volunteer for civic service activities, including 56% of GOP primary voters and 64% of Democratic primary voters.

Republicans and Democrats both support the Civics Secures Democracy Act

• More than 50% of likely voters expressed initial support for the Civics Secures Democracy Act, the bipartisan bill that would provide $1 billion annually over the course of five years for states to use to improve civic education. Only 17% opposed the bill when first asked, with 25% taking a neutral stance.
  
  
• 44% of GOP primary voters support the bill at first glance. Of those who voted for Donald Trump in 2020, 43% support the bill, while 21% oppose it.
• 63% of likely Democratic voters support the bill at first glance. Of those who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, 61% support the bill, while 11% oppose it.
• Support for the bill increased among likely voters from both parties with additional information, including a nearly 10% increase among Republicans.

Civic education should include foundational knowledge and debate

• Among the topics civic education should cover, likely voters ranked "system of government" first (69%), followed by the U.S. Constitution and Founding Era (69%) and voting and political participation (63%).
• Voters showed strong support for the statement "Education should encourage vigorous debate about different points of view, even about controversial issues." Among likely voters, 72% agree, as do 69% of GOP primary voters and 71% of parents.
• The sentiment, "Education should expose students to a range of viewpoints, not just one point of view, even if I disagree with it," polls even stronger, with 78.3% of likely voters, 76% of GOP primary voters, and 72% of K–12 parents in agreement.

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Cygnal is an award-winning international polling, public opinion, and predictive analytics firm that pioneered multi-mode polling, text-to-web collection, and emotive analysis. Cygnal consistently ranks as the most accurate firm, and clients rely on Cygnal's ability to create intelligence for action. Its team members have worked in 49 states and 17 countries on more than 2,700 corporate, public affairs, and political campaigns.

iCivics was founded in 2009 by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to transform civic education and rebuild civic strength through digital games and lesson plans. iCivics is the country's largest provider of civic education content and is currently used by up to 145,000 educators and 9 million students annually. All of its games are free, nonpartisan and available online at icivics.org.

More Perfect is a national campaign forged in partnership with nine of our nation's Presidential Centers, Our Common Purpose at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Partnership for American Democracy. With a cross-partisan, cross-sector National Leadership Council and a coalition of over 100 nonprofit organizations, More Perfect is on a mission to align American citizens and institutions around a shared vision for our democracy and to marshal all the energy and resources it will take to achieve that future together.

Contact: Jacob Berkman
One Allen Communications
646-326-6553
[email protected]

SOURCE iCivics