The share of Americans who say they believe the death penalty is applied fairly has hit a record-low of 49 percent, says a new Gallup survey reported by Politico. The percentage has dipped below 50 percent for the first time since Gallup began asking the question in 2000. The survey says 49 percent of Americans say the death penalty is applied fairly, and 45 percent say it is applied unfairly. Among Republicans, 73 percent say the death penalty is applied fairly, more than twice as large as the share of Democrats who say the same – just 31 percent.
Americans are also more likely than ever to say that the death penalty is applied too often, at 29 percent. Some 37 percent said the death penalty is not used often enough, a significant drop from its highest level in 2005, when 53 percent shared that view. The poll was conducted before the Washington state Supreme Court ruled the state’s death penalty is unconstitutional, saying it is imposed “in an arbitrary and racially biased manner.” There are now just 30 states that allow the death penalty.