The April 2021 University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll adds a forth assessment of Texans’ attitudes about the coronavirus pandemic to the Texas Politics Project polling data archive, adding to attitudes collected in batteries from polls conducted in April, June, and October of 2020, and February and April of 2021. The time series allows reporters, researchers, elected leaders, public health officials, and the public a view of how Texans’ concerns about COVID, behaviors during the pandemic, and evaluations of the official responses have changed throughout a year of pandemic conditions in Texas.
We’ve presented the results below with little commentary or analysis to make them immediately available in the midst of continuing decisions by Texans and policy makers about how to adjust to pandemic conditions that are clearly lessening in severity in the state and most of the country, but have just as clearly not subsisted entirely - to say nothing of continuing crises in other parts of the world. For now, the trend graphics provoke mutiple interpretations of how Texans have responded to the pandemic, and suggest that the clear differences in responses to the pandemic among different groups reflect very difffences experiences of the pandemic and its effects. Every picture below tells multiple stories. (We took a first pass some of the results in this week's Second Reading podcast, though there will be much more to come. You can find this and other past episodes and subscribe to the Second Reading podcast in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.)
To jump to a section of results, click on the link below. For a look at all of the results from the most recent poll, jump to the latest poll page. All of the polling data, including toplines, crosstabs, data files, code books, and full methodology statements, can be found in the data archive. Click on the table of contents below to jump to a section:
About the polls: Each poll samples 1200 self-identified registered voters in the state of Texas. The data is weighted to the known characteristics of registered voters of Texas from the 2018 Current Population survey and 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Survey. The margin of error of the weighted data for the full sample of registered voters is +/- 2.8 percentage points, with higher margins of error for subgroups. For a full explanation of the poll, see any one of the recent methodology statements available in the data archive.
About the graphics: A link below each graphic leads to a downloadable, shareable, embeddable version of that graphic. Lines can be turned off by clicking on their values in the legends at the bottom of each graphic, which allows for some customization when downloading.
In addition to these items, asked across multiple polls, many other items about the coronavirus pandemic have also been asked in the five polls conducted between April 2020 and April 2021. In addition to all of the polling data available in the data archive, graphical representations of all COVID related results can be found through the polling search.
In each of the surveys, Texas voters were asked to rate their assessment of the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, their degree of concern about community spread, and their concern about contracting COVID (or someone they know contracting COVID). Click on the table of contents below to jump to a section:
Respondents were asked, "Would you say that the coronavirus/COVID-19 is..." and given the response options "a significant crisis," "a serious problem but not a crisis," "a minor problem," "not a problem at all," and "Don't know/No opinion."
Overall Coronavirus Seriousness Trend
Line chart with 4 lines.
The Margin of Error for this Graphic is +/- 2.89%
The chart has 1 X axis displaying categories.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Percentage. Data ranges from 2 to 66.
Respondents were asked, "What do you think is more important...Trying to help control the spread of the coronavirus, even if it hurts the economy OR Trying to help the economy, even if it hurts efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus?"
Trend in Preference for Controlling the Spread of the Virus Vs. Helping the Economy
Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying categories.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Percentage. Data ranges from 41 to 59.
Trend in Preference for Controlling the Spread of the Virus Vs. Helping the Economy
In each of the surveys, respondents were asked to describe their activity levels during the pandemic, what social distancing practices they are engaging in, and to assess the safety of engaging in a range of activities. Click on the table of contents below to jump to a section:
In the February and April 2021 surveys, Respondents were asked, "Thinking about how you and your family are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, which of these best describes you these days?" In April, June, and October 2020 polling, respondents were asked, "As you may know, many Americans have been told to stay home if they can because of the coronavirus pandemic. Which of these best describes you these days?"
Behavior Due to Coronavirus Trend
Line chart with 4 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying categories.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Percentage. Data ranges from 1 to 63.
Respondents were asked, "Which of the following measures, if any, are you taking in response to the coronavirus/COVID-19?" The specific activities were described thusly: "Staying away from large groups," and "Wearing a mask when in close contact with people outside your household."
Social Distancing Measures Adherence Trend
Line chart with 2 lines.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying categories.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying Percentage. Data ranges from 42 to 88.
Respondents were asked, "Regardless of the current restrictions in your local area, do you think it would be safe or unsafe for you to..." and then provided a list of activities, including: Go to work; Fly on an airplane; Eat at a restaurant; Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium; Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena; Go to a movie theater; Attend church; Send your child to school; Go grocery shopping; Go to a bar or club; Go to a gym or health club; Stay in a hotel; Go to a shopping mall; and Get a haircut.
Share of Texas Voters who Say Each of the Following Activities is Safe
(University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polling)
April 2021
February 2021
October 2020
June 2020
Go grocery shopping
86%
78%
80%
72%
Get a haircut
77%
66%
66%
59%
Go to work
74%
65%
64%
55%
Stay in a hotel
74%
62%
62%
50%
Eat at a restaurant
63%
55%
56%
49%
Send your child to school
63%
55%
45%
35%
Go to a shopping mall
62%
48%
49%
36%
Attend church
59%
48%
50%
41%
Fly on an airplane
51%
40%
39%
27%
Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium
51%
40%
41%
30%
Go to a movie theater
49%
38%
37%
27%
Go to a gym or health club
47%
37%
35%
29%
Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena
39%
29%
29%
21%
Go to a bar or club
38%
30%
28%
23%
Share of Texas Republican Voters who Say Each of the Following Activities is Safe
(University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polling)
Among Republicans
April 2021
February 2021
October 2020
June 2020
Go grocery shopping
93%
88%
93%
84%
Get a haircut
90%
83%
84%
81%
Go to work
88%
84%
83%
77%
Attend Church
87%
75%
77%
70%
Eat at a restaurant
86%
77%
79%
75%
Stay in a hotel
86%
76%
77%
58%
Send your child to school
85%
77%
73%
58%
Go to a shopping mall
82%
70%
71%
55%
Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium
76%
60%
62%
48%
Fly on an airplane
73%
55%
57%
43%
Go to a movie theater
72%
60%
56%
43%
Go to a gym or health club
72%
59%
56%
48%
Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena
65%
48%
49%
35%
Go to a bar or club
63%
51%
46%
38%
Share of Texas Democratic Voters who Say Each of the Following Activities is Safe
(University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polling)
Among Democrats
April 2021
February 2021
October 2020
June 2020
Go grocery shopping
76%
66%
68%
58%
Get a haircut
65%
49%
47%
34%
Stay in a hotel
64%
45%
46%
35%
Go to work
59%
45%
44%
32%
Send your child to school
43%
31%
14%
9%
Go to a shopping mall
41%
21%
24%
15%
Eat at a restaurant
40%
29%
30%
21%
Attend church
30%
17%
20%
10%
Fly on an airplane
29%
21%
18%
9%
Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium
25%
17%
17%
10%
Go to a movie theater
22%
14%
17%
10%
Go to a gym or health club
21%
12%
12%
9%
Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena
11%
7%
8%
5%
Go to a bar or club
11%
7%
8%
6%
Share of White Texas Voters who Say Each of the Following Activities is Safe
(University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polling)
Among White Voters
April 2021
February 2021
October 2020
June 2020
Go grocery shopping
91%
82%
85%
75%
Get a haircut
86%
73%
74%
65%
Stay in a hotel
82%
68%
69%
56%
Go to work
81%
71%
71%
62%
Send your child to school
75%
64%
55%
42%
Eat at a restaurant
73%
62%
64%
54%
Go to a shopping mall
68%
53%
55%
40%
Attend church
67%
53%
57%
48%
Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium
62%
45%
49%
34%
Fly on an airplane
59%
44%
45%
30%
Go to a movie theater
57%
41%
41%
34%
Go to a gym or health club
55%
42%
41%
34%
Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena
48%
32%
34%
26%
Go to a bar or club
46%
35%
32%
25%
Share of Black Texas Voters who Say Each of the Following Activities is Safe
(University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polling)
Among Black Voters
April 2021
February 2021
October 2020
June 2020
Go grocery shopping
75%
70%
72%
70%
Get a haircut
63%
48%
48%
41%
Go to work
62%
52%
51%
42%
Stay in a hotel
59%
49%
45%
43%
Go to a shopping mall
56%
38%
39%
34%
Attend church
43%
35%
33%
27%
Send your child to school
40%
39%
27%
23%
Eat at a restaurant
39%
33%
36%
36%
Go to a gym or health club
36%
26%
25%
25%
Fly on an airplane
35%
33%
33%
23%
Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium
35%
33%
29%
18%
Go to a movie theater
29%
29%
30%
27%
Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena
23%
19%
21%
14%
Go to a bar or club
18%
21%
25%
20%
Share of Hispanic Texas Voters who Say Each of the Following Activities is Safe
(University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polling)
Among Hispanic Voters
April 2021
February 2021
October 2020
June 2020
Go grocery shopping
73%
73%
74%
61%
Get a haircut
62%
58%
56%
54%
Go to work
61%
57%
53%
47%
Stay in a hotel
60%
52%
52%
40%
Eat at a restaurant
53%
49%
48%
41%
Go to a shopping mall
50%
40%
37%
30%
Attend church
47%
41%
40%
32%
Send your child to school
43%
45%
28%
24%
Fly on an airplane
40%
33%
24%
22%
Go to a movie theater
39%
33%
30%
19%
Attend a sporting event or concert at an outdoor stadium
36%
31%
29%
24%
Go to a gym or health club
31%
28%
23%
20%
Go to a bar or club
30%
18%
16%
18%
Attend a sporting event or concert in an indoor arena
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