Criminal and mental background checks should be required for all gun purchases
Democrats87%
Republicans82%
Independents80%
Source: The Economist/YouGov, Aug. 5, 2025
Chart: Americans Agree
Chart: Americans Agree
Background Checks to Buy a Gun
The Economist/YouGov, Aug. 5, 2025
Details
| Question | Do you favor or oppose the following? |
| Item | Requiring criminal and mental background checks for all those buying guns, including at gun shows and private sales |
| Response | Favor strongly or somewhat |
| Poll Main Page | Unemployment concerns, Gaza, Epstein, trust and medicine, guns, and team names |
| Interview Period | Aug. 1, 2025 to Aug. 4, 2025 |
| Sample Size | 1,702 |
| Policy Context | Based on 2024 data, universal background checks were required in only some states (17 states and the District of Columbia). The federal government and other states had looser policies that required background checks in some situations but not others. Although the Biden administration tightened federal rules for background checks, the second Trump administration has left enforcement of some rules in question. |
Other poll results on Background Checks to Buy a Gun
Different polls may have used different formats and wording, but they were all getting at the same concept.
Click any poll result for details
Position | Dem. | Rep. | Ind. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Criminal and mental background checks should be required for all gun purchases YouGov, Jun. 22, 2024 | 93% | 75% | 76% | |
Background checks should be required for all gun buyers Fox News Poll, Apr. 27, 2023 | 93% | 81% | - |