With Special Session on Horizon, New Polling Shows Virginians Want Action On Gun Reform

Washington, D.C., June 13, 2019 — With less than a month before the Virginia state legislature will convene to discuss emergency gun reform bills in the wake of the Virginia Beach shooting, new polling released today proves that residents across the Commonwealth want to see common-sense laws enacted. The national gun violence prevention group Brady released polling of four key Virginia districts that shows widespread support for extreme risk laws, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and allowing local jurisdictions to ban guns from public buildings and events.

Read the toplines results from Public Policy Polling here
Read the full polling here

Brady President and Virginia resident Kris Brown stated,

“We have an epidemic of gun violence in Virginia, and regardless of party or political beliefs, voters want to see their elected officials take action, not sides. These latest numbers prove that Virginians widely support common-sense measures that will reduce gun violence and keep our communities safe. When the special session convenes on July 9, Speaker Cox and Leader Norment have a choice - will they stand with their own communities and pass extreme risk laws and assault weapon bans into law? Or will they shun their own voters and retreat to the embrace of the gun lobby? Either way, we and Virginian voters will be watching.”

The survey was conducted by Public Policy Polling from June 7-9, 2019, in four Virginia districts: SD 3, SD 7, SD 8, and HD 66. SD 7 and 8 encompass Virginia Beach, the site of the recent mass shooting that killed 12 people and injured several others. SD 3 is represented by Virginia Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment, and HD 66 is represented by Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox.

The poll reveals that voters from all persuasions are widely in support of common-sense gun reforms. Among the results, PPP found that:

• 83 percent of respondents - including 73 percent of Donald Trump voters - support an extreme risk law allowing family members or law enforcement to ask a judge to temporarily suspend a person’s access to guns if they have evidence that the person poses a significant threat to themselves or others;
• 62 percent - including 61 percent of respondents in Sen. Norment’s district - support banning the sale of military style semi-automatic assault weapons;
• 63 percent - including more than half of gun owners - support banning high-capacity magazines that hold over 10 bullets, such as the ones used in the Virginia Beach shooting;
• 67 percent - including 63 percent of respondents in Speaker Cox’s district - support allowing local jurisdictions to ban guns from public buildings and events and enforce that ban by detecting guns and restricting entry.

The full poll results, including breakdown by location, gun ownership, party affiliation, 2016 presidential vote, and more can be found here.