Americans report a bipartisan desire for transparent political financing laws More than three-quarters believe political ads should report who paid for them Washington, DC, February 18, 2019 — An Ipsos poll on behalf of the Center for Public Integrity reveals bipartisan agreement for transparent political financing laws and dissatisfaction with the role of money in politics. Two-thirds of Americans believe that American presidential campaigns should occur over a limited time frame compared to just 14% of whom believing there should be no limit to campaign time lengths. Between Democrats (72%) and Republicans (68%), agreement is nearly the same. Americans also advocate transparency in the election system with 88% believing political TV ads should be required to say who paid for the ad and 87% believing online ads should be required to say who paid for the ad. Compared to a similar survey last year, the rate of agreement remains nearly the same (85% for TV ads and 84% for online ads), but the intensity of agreement has increased, showing Americans have become even more in favor of political transparency. A December 2017 survey showed that 57% of Americans strongly believe TV ads should say who paid for them and the same proportion believe online ads should say so. Comparatively, this year’s survey shows 64% and 65% of Americans are in strong agreement with each statement, respectively. In the same one-year timespan, Americans report a slight decrease in their belief that American elections are fair and open. Less than half (42%) believe elections are fair and open compared to 50% of Americans who believed so last year. When Americans think of elections, they place a great deal of emphasis on the influence of money. Sixty-five percent of Americans believe that politicians need a lot of money to win elections and even more (85%) believe that elected officials return favors for those who contribute greatly to their campaigns. Americans aren’t optimistic about changing money’s role in politics with 59% reporting that they believe powerful people will always find a way to use their wealth to gain political influence. At the same time, however, 64% recognize that being able to donate money to political campaigns is a vital form of free speech. Address: Tel: 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Contact: Email: Tel: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 1 Press Release – continued – 1. Which is closer to your opinion? (Select one) American presidential campaigns should come in a limited time frame American presidential campaigns should not be limited Don't know 2. Total April 2017 (n = 1,005) Democrats (n = 336) Republicans (n = 358) Independents (n = 202) 67% 65% 72% 68% 68% 14 23 15 17 11 19 12 13 16 21 If there were time limits placed on American presidential campaigns, what do you think is the right time frame for election campaigns to start? (Select one) Six weeks before Election Day Three months before Election Day Six months before Election Day One year before Election Day Two years before Election Day Four years before Election Day Don't know 3. Total January 2019 (n = 1,005) Total January 2019 9% 12 25 32 8 3 11 Tel: Democrats Republicans Independents 9% 13 25 37 10 1 5 9% 12 25 34 7 6 8 8% 8 31 25 7 3 17 Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Select one for each) % Agree Elected officials often do favors for big campaign donors Politicians need a lot of money to win elections Being able to donate money to a political campaign is a vital form of free speech Address: Total April 2017 7% 13 27 32 8 5 7 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Total Democrats Republicans Independents 85% 86% 86% 86% 65% 69% 69% 59% 64% 64% 72% 59% Contact: Email: Tel: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 2 Press Release – continued – a. Politicians need a lot of money to win elections Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) b. Total 37% 28 15 14 6 65% 29 Democrats 40% 30 13 14 3 69% 28 Republicans 41% 28 14 14 4 69% 27 Independents 27% 32 20 13 8 59% 33 Republicans 60% 26 4 5 5 86% 9 Independents 60% 26 2 2 10 86% 5 Elected officials often do favors for big campaign donors Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) c. Total 60% 25 4 3 8 85% 7 Democrats 64% 22 4 3 7 86% 7 Being able to donate money to a political campaign is a vital form of free speech Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) 4. Total 21% 42 14 13 9 64% 27 Democrats 20% 44 15 14 7 64% 28 Republicans 30% 42 11 10 7 72% 21 Independents 14% 45 16 16 9 59% 32 Please indicate which of the following comes closest to your opinion. (Select one) New laws could effectively reduce the role of money in politics Powerful people will always find a way to use their wealth to have greater political influence Don’t know Address: Tel: 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Total 32% Democrats 36% Republicans 28% Independents 32% 59 59 63 56 10 4 9 11 Contact: Email: Tel: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 3 Press Release – continued – 5. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Select one for each) % Agree Political TV ads should be required to say who paid for the ad Political groups should have to disclose all their funders in a timely fashion Political ads online should be required to say who paid for the ad Federal election laws are necessary to ensure fair elections Interest groups should follow the same campaign or election laws as political candidates Elected officials should be prohibited from raising campaign funds during non-election years American elections are fair and open a. Tel: Total December 2017 (n = 1,005) Democrats Republicans Independents 88% 85% 88% 90% 88% 88% - 92% 88% 87% 87% 84% 86% 89% 86% 85% 79% 90% 90% 79% 82% - 86% 85% 77% 67% - 75% 63% 65% 42% 50% 34% 55% 42% Democrats Republicans Independents 66% 22 4 4 4 88% 8 64% 26 2 3 4 90% 6 64% 24 6 6 88% 6 Political TV ads should be required to say who paid for the ad. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) Address: Total January 2019 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Total January 2019 64% 24 4 3 5 88% 7 Total December 2017 57% 28 6 3 5 85% 10 Contact: Email: Tel: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 4 Press Release – continued – b. Political ads online should be required to say who paid for the ad. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) c. Tel: Democrats Republicans Independents 66% 20 6 3 5 86% 9 66% 23 4 2 4 89% 7 65% 22 3 2 8 86% 5 Total January 2019 59% 26 4 2 9 85% 5 Total December 2017 51% 28 8 4 10 79% 11 Democrats Republicans Independents 65% 26 4 2 4 90% 6 58% 32 2 3 6 90% 5 57% 22 7 1 13 79% 8 Democrats Republicans Independents 12 22 34 27 5 34% 61 21 35 27 14 3 55% 42 11 31 25 23 10 42% 48 American elections are fair and open. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) Address: Total December 2017 57% 27 7 3 7 84% 9 Federal election laws are necessary to ensure fair elections. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) d. Total January 2019 65% 22 5 2 6 87% 7 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Total January 2019 14 28 29 23 7 42% 51 Total December 2017 16 34 28 15 7 50% 44 Contact: Email: Tel: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 5 Press Release – continued – e. Elected officials should be prohibited from raising campaign funds during non-election years. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) f. Tel: Republicans 36% 27 18 8 11 63% 26 Independents 38% 27 14 3 18 65% 17 Total 54% 28 5 2 11 82% 7 Democrats 54% 31 5 2 7 86% 7 Republicans 58% 27 4 3 8 85% 7 Independents 50% 27 4 2 18 77% 5 Political groups should have to disclose all their funders in a timely fashion. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) Address: Democrats 35% 39 15 4 6 75% 19 Interest groups should follow the same campaign or election laws as political candidates. Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know Agree (net) Disagree (net) g. Total 37% 30 15 5 13 67% 20 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Total 63% 25 3 2 6 88% 5 Democrats 66% 26 2 2 3 92% 4 Republicans 64% 23 3 3 5 88% 7 Contact: Email: Tel: Independents 61% 26 3 2 8 87% 5 Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 6 Press Release – continued – About the Study These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted January 23 - 24, 2019. For the survey, a sample of 1,005 Americans age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii were interviewed online in English. The sample includes 358 Republicans, 336 Democrats, and 202 Independents. The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’s online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2016 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Post-hoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online nonprobability sampling polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,005, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=5.0). The poll also has a credibility interval of plus or minus 5.9 percentage points for Republicans, plus or minus 6.1 percentage points for Democrats, and plus or minus 7.9 percentage points for Independents. For more information about conducting research intended for public release or Ipsos’ online polling methodology, please visit our Public Opinion Polling and Communication page where you can download our brochure, see our public release protocol, or contact us. For more information on this news release, please contact: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S. Ipsos Public Affairs +1 202 420-2025 chris.jackson@ipsos.com Mallory Newall Director, U.S. Ipsos Public Affairs +1 202 420-2014 mallory.newall@ipsos.com Address: Tel: 2020 K Street NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006 +1 202 463-7300 Contact: Email: Tel: Chris Jackson Vice President, U.S., Ipsos Public Affairs chris.jackson@ipsos.com +1 202 420-2025 7 Press Release – continued – About Ipsos Public Affairs Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research. Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. In Canada, the U.S., UK, and internationally, Ipsos Public Affairs is the media polling supplier to Reuters News, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research. About Ipsos Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry. With offices in 88 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management. Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build longterm relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,780.5 million in 2017. GAME CHANGERS « Game Changers » is the Ipsos signature. At Ipsos we are passionately curious about people, markets, brands and society. We make our changing world easier and faster to navigate and inspire clients to make smarter decisions. We deliver with security, speed, simplicity and substance. We are Game Changers. 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