Iowa poll: Most voters don't want felons on presidential ballot or ban on drop boxes
© Copyright 2024, Des Moines Register and Tribune Co.
A new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa poll reveals the majority of Iowans oppose voting restriction legislation passed by state House lawmakers earlier this week.
The poll, which was released on Friday, shows two particular points of frustration for voters: allowing presidential candidates convicted of felonies to appear on the ballot and banning the use of drop boxes to return absentee ballots.
The other two issues are of lesser opposition: Most Iowans opposed limiting challenges to presidential candidates on the ballot, similar to other states' efforts, including Colorado, Illinois, and Maine, to disqualify Trump from running for president again.
And according to poll numbers, most Iowans want mail-in ballots to be received by the county auditor no later than the day before Election Day, instead of the current deadline.
The poll of 804 Iowa adults was conducted Feb. 25-28 by Selzer & Co. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Majority oppose allowing candidates convicted of felonies to run for president
Of the multiple election-related policy changes tested in the poll, allowing presidential candidates convicted of felonies to run for office receives the most significant opposition.
The poll found that nearly three-fourths of Iowans (74%) oppose efforts to “change Iowa law to allow convicted felons to appear on the ballot for president,” while one-fourth (25%) are in favor. Another 2% are not sure.
The results show slight variation among Republicans, Democrats and political independents.
Trump faces 91 felony charges in four criminal cases around the country related to his handling of classified documents after leaving office and his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. He has pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Trump’s hush-money trial in New York City will proceed as scheduled, with jury selection starting on March 25 in what could be the first-ever criminal trial against a former president on charges he falsified business records to cover up payments to women.
Rene Hanlon, a 70-year-old poll respondent from Anamosa, cites Trump as the reason she opposes changing the law to let people convicted of felonies run for president.
“He’s a crook, a liar and a thief,” she said. “If we allow that, that means if he finally gets convicted, he could still run for president. I don’t think so!”
More: As Donald Trump's trials heat up, here's a guide to the major lawsuits.
Hanlon is a retired U.S. Navy Reserve officer and registered Democrat, but she considers herself more of an independent. She might feel differently about the issue if it weren't for Trump.
“People make mistakes,” she said. “They pay for it, and they should be able to move on.”
Matt Taylor, a 29-year-old Republican poll respondent from Altoona, generally opposes changing state law to allow felons to run for president.
“Maybe I’m just more strong-headed, but I think if you’ve gone down the road and if you’ve been convicted of a felony, it’s probably the price you pay, in my opinion,” he said.
But Taylor, who works in telecommunications, said he feels differently about the 91 felony charges Trump is facing.
“I think I’d make an exception for a former president just because he wouldn’t get the fair trial other people would,” he said.
More: What to know about Iowa GOP bill to limit ballot challenges against Trump, ban drop boxes
Majority oppose efforts to ban ballot drop boxes
Fifty-six percent of Iowans oppose banning the use of ballot drop boxes for Iowans returning absentee ballots, while 41% favor a ban, and 3% are not sure.
Hanlon said she thinks drop boxes are a convenient way to return ballots and that the mail system is too uncertain.
“You can’t count on the mail,” she said. “I might mail something today here from Anamosa, and you might get it in Des Moines a week later, so that’s not reliable anymore.”
Republicans’ opinions on the question are the inverse, with 56% in favor and 41% opposed. The overwhelming majority of Democrats oppose a ban, at 77%, with 22% in favor.
A majority of independents are also opposed, at 56%, while 39% are in favor.
About the Iowa Poll
The Iowa Poll, conducted Feb. 25-28, 2024, for The Des Moines Register and Mediacom by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, is based on telephone interviews with 804 Iowans ages 18 or older. Quantel Research interviewers contacted households with randomly selected landline and cell phone numbers supplied by Dynata. Interviews were administered in English. Responses were adjusted by age, sex, and congressional district to reflect the general population based on recent American Community Survey estimates.
Questions based on the sample of 804 Iowa adults have a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. This means that if this survey were repeated using the same questions and the same methodology, 19 times out of 20, the findings would not vary from the true population value by more than plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Results based on smaller samples of respondents — such as by gender or age — have a larger margin of error.
Republishing the copyright Iowa Poll without credit and, on digital platforms, links to originating content on The Des Moines Register and Mediacom is prohibited.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa poll: no to felons running for president or bans on drop boxes
