How well is democracy working in the U.S. Today? (October 2023)

How well is democracy working in the U.S. Today? (October 2023)

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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?"
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categoryTotal
Extremely well3%
Very well10%
Somewhat well21%
Somewhat poorly24%
Very poorly16%
Extremely poorly18%
Don't know/No opinion7%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Measurement of Party ID for this figure is based on two questions. First, respondents were asked whether they consider themselves to be a Democrats, Republicans, independents, other, or not sure. Those who responded that they are independents or "other" were then asked if they lean toward either the Democrats or Republicans. If they indicated that they lean toward one party or the other, they are considered Democrats or Republicans for the purposes of this figure. Only "pure" independents or members of a third party who indicate that they have no preference for Democrats vis-a-vis Republicans are considered independents. Respondents who answered that they are "not sure" for either of the two aforementioned questions are not incorporated into this figure.
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CategoryDemocratIndependentRepublican
Extremely well4%1%3%
Very well11%1%10%
Somewhat well26%16%17%
Somewhat poorly26%19%25%
Very poorly16%22%17%
Extremely poorly13%33%22%
Don't know/No opinion4%9%7%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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CategoryLean DemocratNot very strong DemocratStrong Democrat
Extremely well1%2%6%
Very well7%12%14%
Somewhat well18%33%28%
Somewhat poorly33%22%24%
Very poorly20%15%13%
Extremely poorly20%10%10%
Don't know/No opinion1%6%5%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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CategoryLean RepublicanNot very strong RepublicanStrong Republican
Extremely well1%1%6%
Very well4%12%12%
Somewhat well19%18%15%
Somewhat poorly26%28%21%
Very poorly19%12%19%
Extremely poorly26%15%22%
Don't know/No opinion4%13%4%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLiberalsModeratesConservatives
Extremely well4%2%3%
Very well13%9%10%
Somewhat well23%25%15%
Somewhat poorly26%24%23%
Very poorly16%13%20%
Extremely poorly14%18%22%
Don't know/No opinion3%9%7%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLean liberalSomewhat liberalExtremely liberal
Extremely well1%6%5%
Very well13%15%10%
Somewhat well27%23%21%
Somewhat poorly33%27%18%
Very poorly10%14%23%
Extremely poorly16%12%16%
Don't know/No opinion0%3%7%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLean conservativeSomewhat conservativeExtremely conservative
Extremely well3%1%6%
Very well17%8%7%
Somewhat well18%17%12%
Somewhat poorly30%26%15%
Very poorly18%17%24%
Extremely poorly9%23%29%
Don't know/No opinion5%7%8%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Race is calculated according to the race variable.
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CategoryWhiteBlackHispanic
Extremely well3%7%2%
Very well11%17%8%
Somewhat well22%24%18%
Somewhat poorly26%21%23%
Very poorly15%10%18%
Extremely poorly18%16%21%
Don't know/No opinion5%6%9%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Gender is calculated according to the GENDER variable.
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CategoryMaleFemale
Extremely well4%2%
Very well12%9%
Somewhat well23%18%
Somewhat poorly24%25%
Very poorly14%18%
Extremely poorly18%19%
Don't know/No opinion4%9%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Community type is based on the following question, " Would you say that you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community?"
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CategoryUrbanSuburbanRural
Extremely well5%2%1%
Very well17%7%8%
Somewhat well25%20%15%
Somewhat poorly21%29%21%
Very poorly10%17%26%
Extremely poorly15%21%17%
Don't know/No opinion6%5%12%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Age is calculated according to the AGEG variable.
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Category18-2930-4445-6465+
Extremely well6%6%1%1%
Very well19%17%6%3%
Somewhat well31%21%18%16%
Somewhat poorly17%22%28%28%
Very poorly7%15%19%20%
Extremely poorly13%12%21%26%
Don't know/No opinion7%5%7%7%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Education is calculated according to the EDUC variable.
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CategoryNo HSHigh school graduateSome college2-year4-yearPost-grad
Extremely well6%5%1%0%5%3%
Very well15%10%8%9%11%12%
Somewhat well17%16%22%15%29%17%
Somewhat poorly21%23%25%28%19%33%
Very poorly8%14%20%16%15%20%
Extremely poorly11%21%18%25%17%13%
Don't know/No opinion22%11%7%5%3%2%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Religiosity is calculated according to the IMPORT variable.
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CategoryExtremely importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all important
Extremely well6%1%1%1%
Very well12%11%8%7%
Somewhat well19%26%23%13%
Somewhat poorly21%20%39%30%
Very poorly16%14%16%23%
Extremely poorly19%19%9%22%
Don't know/No opinion8%8%3%4%
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    Respondents were asked, "How well is democracy working in the U.S. today?" Fundamentalism is calculated according to the LITERAL variable.
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CategoryThe Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word.The Bible is the word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally, word for word.The Bible is a book written by men and is not the word of God.Don't know.
Extremely well6%2%1%3%
Very well18%8%5%6%
Somewhat well17%25%19%13%
Somewhat poorly17%28%31%19%
Very poorly14%16%21%18%
Extremely poorly19%16%18%28%
Don't know/No opinion8%5%5%13%

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