The U.S. Constitution should be amended to require the federal budget be balanced each year
Democrats68%
Republicans84%
Independents65%
Source: The Economist/YouGov, Jun. 16, 2026
Chart: Americans Agree
Chart: Americans Agree
Balanced Budget
The Economist/YouGov, Jun. 16, 2026
Details
| Question | Would you favor or oppose making the following amendments to the U.S. Constitution? |
| Item | Require the federal budget to be balanced each year |
| Response | Favor |
| Poll Main Page | The Economist/YouGov Poll, June 13 - 15, 2026 |
| Interview Period | Jun. 13, 2026 to Jun. 15, 2026 |
| Sample Size | 1,549 |
| Policy Context | When this poll was conducted in June 2026, the House had voted on a balanced-budget constitutional amendment a few months prior. It failed to get the required two-thirds approval. Similar bills have been regularly introduced in Congress over the past few decades, with similar results. |