More than half of registered U.S. voters support stricter gun laws, says a new Quinnipiac University survey that also found strong levels of support for background checks and for preventing people on government watch lists from purchasing guns, Politico reports. Some 54 percent of voters said they would like tougher gun laws of some kind, the highest percentage expressing that view in the poll’s history. Another 42 percent said they opposed stricter gun laws.
Asked if it is possible to have new gun laws that will not interfere with the rights of responsible gun owners, 64 percent said they thought that would be the case, while 28 percent said they would interfere. On the notion that the U.S. would be safer if more people carried guns, 52 percent said it would be less safe, while 40 percent said would be safer. More than half of those in a gun-owning household, 55 percent to 34 percent, said more guns would make the country more secure. Support was more universal for requiring background checks of all gun buyers. Ninety-three percent said they supported that. About 62 percent of voters said requiring background checks would help reduce gun violence, while 35 percent expressed doubt they would.