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Quinnipiac University/CBS News/New York Times Poll For release: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 3:00 AM EDT Gun Laws,

Gun Violence: Colorado, Virginia, and Wisconsin Voters Views July 31- August 6, 2012

In Colorado, Wisconsin and Virginia, most voters do not favor stricter laws about gun sales. Colorados voters are most likely to want those laws kept as they are. In all three states, voters say stricter gun sale laws would not prevent more gun violence like the recent shooting in Colorado. About four in ten voters in each state think the candidates have spent too little time discussing the issue.

Views on Gun Sales In Colorado, half of voters say that laws covering the sale of guns in their state should be kept as they are, and just 38% think they should be made stricter, the lowest percentage in the three states polled. Sale of Guns Should be (Among likely voters) CO VA WI More strict 38% 44% 43% Less strict 8 9 6 Kept the same 50 44 48 In all three states, women are far more likely than men to support stricter laws for gun sales. Roughly half of women in each state (47% in Colorado, 54% in Virginia and 56% in Wisconsin) do so. Among men, roughly half in each state think those laws ought to be kept as they are. There are partisan differences as well: Democrats are more apt to support stricter gun sale laws, while Republicans prefer keeping laws as they are now. In each state, most of those voters who live in gun-owning households want to see laws about gun sales kept as they are. Sale of Guns Should be (Among likely voters in gun owning households) CO VA WI More strict 23% 26% 28% Less strict 12 12 10 Kept the same 62 60 60 Majorities in all three states support a nationwide ban on high capacity magazines that hold many rounds of ammunition. Among those living in a household with a gun owner, 45% favor this in Colorado, 42% do so in Virginia and 47% in Wisconsin.

Ban on High Capacity Magazines (Among likely voters) CO VA WI Favor 58% 52% 57% Oppose 35 42 37 The polls were being conducted when Sundays shooting in Wisconsin occurred; there was no difference in views on these questions before and after that event. Would New Laws Prevent More Violence? In all three states, majorities believe stricter laws about gun sales would not be effective in preventing future violence of the kind seen in Aurora. Coloradoans are especially unlikely to think so. Would Stricter Gun Laws Prevent Future Violent Attacks? (Among likely voters) CO VA WI Yes 30% 37% 40% No 66 60 57 But there are some partisan and gender differences in Colorado. Colorados Democrats believe more laws about gun sales would prevent more attacks, and Colorados women voters are more likely than men to think so. Colorado Voters: Would Stricter Gun Laws Prevent Future Violent Attacks? (Among likely voters) Reps Dems Inds Men Women Yes 12% 62% 25% 22% 39% No 85 32 72 74 57 Voters in all three battleground states have followed the Aurora, Colorado tragedy, but they have been especially attentive in Colorado itself: nine in ten Colorado voters have heard a lot about it, as have three quarters of Wisconsin and Virginia voters. Nearly all voters across the three states have heard at least something about it. The Presidential Candidates and Gun Laws There is no consensus about whether the presidential candidates have adequately addressed the issue of gun sales. In each state, about four in 10 think theyve spent too little time on the issue, while about a third think theyve spent the right amount of time. One in five thinks theyve spent too much time. Time Presidential Candidates Have Spent on Gun Sales (Among likely voters) CO VA WI Too much time 19% 18% 19% Too little time 36 45 41 The right amount 30 26 29

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This poll was conducted by telephone from Quinnipiac Universitys interviewing facility July 31-August 6, 2012. The number of likely voters interviewed in each state is 1,463 in Colorado, 1,412 in Virginia and 1,428 in Wisconsin. In all three states, phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the sample in each state could be plus or minus three percentage points in Colorado, Virginia, and in Wisconsin. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY/CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL Gun Laws, Gun Violence: Colorado, Virginia, and Wisconsin Voters Views July 31-August 6, 2012 26. Do you think the laws covering the sale of guns in (Colorado/Virginia/Wisconsin) should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now? ** TOTAL LIKELY VOTERS ** CO VA WI 38% 44% 43% 8 9 6 50 44 48 4 3 3

More strict Less strict Kept the same DK/NA

27. As you may know, high-capacity magazines or clips can hold many rounds of ammunition, so a shooter can fire more rounds without manually reloading. Would you favor or oppose a nationwide ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines that hold many rounds of ammunition? Favor Oppose DK/NA CO 58% 35 7 VA 52% 42 6 WI 57% 37 6

28. Overall, do you think the presidential candidates have spent too much time, too little time, or about the right amount of time talking about laws covering the sale of guns? Too much time Too little time The right amount DK/NA CO 19% 36 30 15 VA 18% 45 26 11 WI 19% 41 29 11

29. How much have you heard or read about the recent shooting in Aurora, Colorado where James Holmes allegedly shot and killed a number of people in a movie theater; a lot, some, not much, or nothing at all? A lot Some Not much Nothing at all DK/NA CO 89% 9 1 VA 77% 20 3 WI 74% 23 2 -

30. Do you personally believe that stricter laws covering the sale of guns would be an effective way to prevent these types of violent acts, or not? Yes No DK/NA CO 30% 66 4 VA 37% 60 3 WI 40% 57 4

PARTY IDENTIFICATION (Weighted) Generally speaking, do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or what? Republican Democrat Independent Other DK/NA CO 32% 27 37 3 1 VA 23% 30 40 6 2 WI 27% 34 33 5 1

Sample Sizes (Unweighted) ** TOTAL LIKELY VOTERS ** CO VA WI Unweighted Total 1463 1412 1428 MoE (+/-%) 3 pts 3 pts 3 pts

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