CBS News Eye on Trends: The latest from the Election & Survey Unit
Watch this space for a recap of the latest polls and data-driven studies curated by the CBS News Election & Survey Unit!
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The latest updates to CBS News Eye on Trends can be found here.
3/14/2021
Americans see better days ahead in pandemic and economy
Though "exhausted" from a year-long pandemic, confidence about containing the coronavirus is hitting new highs as more vaccines roll out, and Americans say they're also "grateful" and widely optimistic about the coming months. The economy seems poised for its own shot in the arm, with Americans bullish about its prospects, both nationally and locally, and looking forward to fueling it by traveling, shopping and dining out more -- once they think it's safe.
Precisely when they'll think it's safe is uncertain, and it won't be right away. For some, it won't be until they're vaccinated themselves. Others are waiting for cases to come down further, even if they've gotten the shot, and right now, many remain wary of venturing into crowded places. Concern about new variants weighs on others.
On the political front, this adds up to good marks for President Biden, who gets very high ratings for his handling of the outbreak, with over two-thirds approving, as well as for managing the vaccine distribution. Plus the just-signed relief bill remains extremely popular, with most feeling it will help both the economy and help them, personally.
More here.
After year of pandemic, Americans see changed lives and disparate impact
Americans report seeing their lives transformed in myriad ways over the past year -- from the loss of loved ones, to an impact on their finances, to the toll the year has taken on their mental and emotional health. Many see the changes as permanent, particularly in regards to how they view their relationships and how they will spend their free time going forward.
And as Americans look back, a majority see the nation's efforts to contain the coronavirus as largely unsuccessful. Most believe that some groups of Americans were affected more than others, and that both the decisions that people made and systemic inequalities are at least partially to blame for that.
More than eight in 10 Americans say their day-to-day lives have been impacted at least somewhat by the coronavirus pandemic, and the impact of the outbreak has been felt in many different ways. Nearly half of Americans (45%) say they themselves or someone close to them has gotten ill from the virus, and one in five say a close friend or relative has died from COVID-19. Black and Hispanic Americans are particularly likely to have a close friend or relative who has died from the virus compared to White Americans.
More here.
Vaccines drive optimism about containing COVID-19 pandemic
A majority of Americans say they'll get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them or already have had at least one shot, as vaccination efforts are driving national optimism about containing the coronavirus. Overall, the percentage of people willing to get the vaccine, plus the number who report getting one, has been on the rise.
But that optimism may meet the reality of vaccine hesitancy down the line, as many still say "no" or "maybe" to vaccines. This reluctance is connected to partisanship: Republicans, particularly younger ones, say they are less likely to get vaccinated when eligible.
More here.
3/12/2021
Standard Time vs. Daylight Savings Time
Would you rather have Standard Time all year long, or would you rather have Daylight Savings Time made permanent instead? As most of the country prepares to turn their clocks forward an hour to mark the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, a CBS Poll finds that Americans are largely divided between the two: 23% would prefer Daylight Savings Time, which would add more daylight to the end of the day, while only slightly more - 28% - would prefer Standard Time, which has more daylight in the morning.
41% of Americans, however, prefer the current format of switching back and forth between the two.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone February 9-14, 2021 among a random sample of 1,004 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
Would you prefer to see Daylight Savings Time extended to all year round, Standard Time extended to all year round, or do you prefer to switch back and forth between the two?
3/11/2021
CBS News Poll: COVID relief package popular
Most give Biden good marks for handling outbreak
Three in four Americans approve of Congress passing the economic relief package as it continues to draw wide support. Large majorities of Democrats and independents, along with nearly half of Republicans, approve of passage.
As President Joe Biden prepares to address the nation, two-thirds of Americans give him positive marks for his handling of the outbreak overall.
This includes the percentage who thinks he is doing a very good job handling it, which has jumped 11 points since last month.
People are becoming less critical of the speed of the vaccine distribution in their state than they were last month. While 47% feel distribution is moving too slowly, that's down from 61%. This drop is seen across demographic groups.
Mr. Biden continues to get a positive overall job rating from most Americans, at 60% approval, similar to his rating in February.
-Jennifer De Pinto
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This CBS News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,306 U.S. residents interviewed between March 9-10, 2021. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as the 2020 presidential vote and registration status. The margin of error is ±3.3 points.
3/10/2021
The 2021 Grammy Awards are this weekend. so we're taking a quick look the importance music plays in peoples' lives.
For most Americans, music is important. Three in four Americans say music is at least somewhat important in their daily lives, including 40% who say it is very important. Fewer than one in four says it is not very or not at all important.
But younger Americans attach more importance to music than older Americans. While nearly half of adults under 50 say music is very important in their daily lives, this is true of just a third of those fifty years of age or older.
Nearly 90% of Americans spend at least some portion of their day listening to music, particularly younger adults. More than half of adults under 35 say they listen to at least two hours of music a day, including more than quarter listen to more than four hours a day. In contrast, though most Americans over 65 listen to music daily, less than half listen to music for more than an hour, and about a quarter don't usually listen to any music at all.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone January 12-17, 2021 among a random sample of 1,010 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
3/9/2021
A CBS News poll conducted in January shows that fewer Americans are able to save money these days than they used to be, and that shift is largely among middle-income earners. Lower income earner are also feeling financial pressure: they are more likely to be skipping medical care because of the cost, and are racking up more in credit card debt.
Fewer Americans are Able to Save Money These Days
roughly one in five Americans say they do not make enough to meet their bills and obligations, a percentage that has held fairly steady for the past five years. But while most Americans say they earn enough to get by, more are reporting that, over the past few months, they have been finding it harder to earn enough to save or buy extras. Just 25% say they can do so, down from 38% last June.
There has been little change among higher earning Americans. In June, 67% of Americans earning over $100,000 a year reported making more than enough to meet their needs. Today that percentage is 64%; virtually unchanged. And for Americans earning under $50,000 a year - the vast majority of whom already couldn't earn enough to save - the shift is relatively slight. About a third of those earning under $50,000 a year continue to struggle to make ends meet.
But for those in the middle range, the shift is far more dramatic. Most can pay their bills, but many are finding it more difficult to save. In June, 46% of Americans earning between $50,000 and $100,000 a year reported earning enough to save, that percentage has dropped 15 percentage points to 31%.
Credit Card Debt Rising Among Lower Income Americans
One out of every two Americans has some amount of credit debt, including one in 10 who owe $10,000 or more. Slightly fewer Americans are debt-free than were so two years ago when CBS News last asked the question, and the percentage of Americans owing $1000 or more on their credit cards has risen from 27% in 2018 to 34% today.
The rise is primarily among lower income Americans. When we asked this question two years ago, nearly two thirds of Americans earning less than $50,000 a year reported that they were debt free; now just over half say they are.
On the other end of the income spectrum, the percentage of Americans earning $100,000 a year or more who have credit card debt has changed little - just over half do, similar to two years ago. But the Americans in this income level who do owe money on a credit card tend to have a higher balance than they did in 2018. Now 17% owe more than $10,000 a year from this group, a six-point increase from two years ago.
Forgoing Medical Care Because of the Cost
When it comes to paying for medical bills, 14% of Americans report they or someone in their household have had to go without medical treatment at some point in the past year because they could not afford it, and 11% have had to cut back on or stopped taking medication because they could not afford to pay for it.
Here again, Americans with lower incomes have felt the crunch more. Nearly one in five Americans earning under $50,000 a year have had to go without medical treatment or care because they couldn't afford it, and nearly as many have had to cut down or stop taking medication. Far fewer Americans who earn more have had to do the same.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone January 12-17, 2021 among a random sample of 1,010 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
2/26/2021
Many would get COVID-19 vaccine, but hesitancy remains -- CBS News poll
Most say they either will, or at least might, get a COVID-19 vaccine when they're eligible -- or else have gotten one already -- but there are plenty who are still on the fence about it. Many of those say "maybe" they'll get one, and then there are others who say outright that they won't.
Asked why they might not, or will not, reasons tilt toward skepticism about the vaccine and its development with a wait-and-see approach, and worries about side effects. There are also some who mistrust either the government or those who developed the shot. And there are partisan views at work here, too.
More here.
2/12/2021
Romance in the Age of COVID
As the first Valentine's Day in the age of Covid19 approaches, far more Americans are looking forward to it than dreading it, though most don't care much either way. 31% of Americans are looking forward to it, while only 4% are dreading it. 63% don't care much.
Does Romance Ripen With Age?
Are you becoming more or less romantic as you get older? Americans are divided equally among the two camps, with about one in five saying they are becoming more romantic, and another one in five saying they are becoming less romantic. A majority of Americans don't really notice in any change.
There is little difference between men and women on this, but how old one is when answering the question plays a factor. 29% of adults under thirty-five say they are getting more romantic as they age, compared to just 10% of those over 65. Instead, 29% of seniors say they are becoming less romantic, though most Americans of all ages say there is no real change.
For Americans who feel they are getting more romantic with age, Valentine's Day is something to look forward to. While just 31% of Americans overall are looking forward to Valentine's Day, this rises to 59% of Americans who feel they are becoming more romantic as they get older.
Video Dating
For those not sharing a household, video streaming may be the only way to go on a romantic date these days. But can such a date actually feel romantic? Though a majority of Americans doesn't think so, about a third disagrees.
Younger adults are more likely than older Americans to see the romantic possibilities in a video date, however. Nearly half of adults under 35 think a video date can be romantic, compared to just 18% of seniors 65 and older.
Younger adults are also more likely than older Americans to speak from experience on this. 17% of adults under 34 have personally been on a "Zoom date", compared to 9% of Americans overall, and just 3% of adults 55 and older.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone January 12-17, 2021 among a random sample of 1,010 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request.
The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
2/10/2021
Large bipartisan majority of Americans favor more COVID economic relief
A very large and bipartisan majority of Americans would support congressional passage of a new stimulus bill to help those impacted by the pandemic, and many would prefer that it receive bipartisan support in Congress, too. Meanwhile, a majority give President Joe Biden good marks for his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, and for his job as president overall in the opening weeks of his administration.
And though most think the coronavirus vaccine rollout in their states is still too slow, most think it has been at least fair. A majority of Americans are planning to either get vaccinated as soon as possible, or are at least considering it, though some remain resistant.
More here.
2/9/2021
Majority favor conviction as impeachment trial begins, but many Republicans urge loyalty to Trump -- CBS News poll
As former President Trump's second impeachment trial begins, a 56%-majority of Americans would like the Senate to vote to convict him, and the same percentage say he encouraged violence at the Capitol -- views that are still somewhat linked to Americans' presidential votes in 2020, reflecting ongoing partisan division.
To those in favor of conviction, this trial is described as holding Mr. Trump "accountable" and "defending democracy." To those Americans (mostly, Republicans) opposed to it, the trial is "unnecessary" and a "distraction."
More here.
1/26/2021
The Coronavirus Is Making Many Americans Feel More Distant from Friends and Family
Isolation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic may be taking its toll on many Americans. Half of Americans say they have felt more distant from close friends and family since the coronavirus began. About a third say things haven't changed much for them, while a small percentage - 12% - say they have become closer since the pandemic began started.
There is little difference by income or region of the country, though adults under 30 (41%) are a little less likely to feel distant than older Americans (51%), and men (44%) are less likely to feel distant than women are (55%).
Being married or unmarried - or having children or not - doesn't seem to be a determining factor, though Democrats (57%) are more likely to say they feel more distant than either Republicans (42%) or independents (48%).
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone January 12-17, 2021 among a random sample of 1,010 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
1/17/2021
Americans see democracy under threat -- CBS News poll
Americans see President-elect Joe Biden taking office amid both the health crisis of the pandemic -- and what they decry as a confusing vaccine rollout that is far too slow -- then more broadly, they voice deep concern about the health of democracy itself.
And it seems too facile to just say the nation is "divided" now, because in the wake of recent events, there's active worry: Of potential threats to their way of life -- from foreign adversaries to economic forces to natural disasters -- Americans today say the biggest threat comes from inside the country, from "other people in America, and domestic enemies."
More from the poll here.
Americans criticize vaccine rollout as too slow-- CBS News poll
Most Americans are not satisfied with the coronavirus vaccine distribution in their state, with a majority saying it is going too slowly and feeling that the process of how to go about getting a vaccine hasn't been well-explained yet. This comes as more people are now interested in getting vaccinated, with those most eager to get one more critical of the speed of its rollout.
More from the poll here.
1/14/2021
More from the latest CBS News poll...
A week before the inauguration, a third of Americans don't think Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election
With only a week to go before Joe Biden assumes the office of the presidency, a third of Americans say they do not consider Joe Biden to be the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election. 67% consider him to be the legitimate president, while 33% do not.
Nearly all of the voters who do not consider Joe Biden the legitimate winner supported Donald Trump in November, and most consider themselves Republicans. While 96% of Democrats and 66% of independents consider Joe Biden to have legitimately won the 2020 election, just 31% of Republicans do.
Three in four Americans say the event surrounding the 2020 election has made democracy in the U.S. more threatened
Americans of all political stripes seem shaken in their faith in democracy by the events of the last two months since the November 2020 presidential election. 75% of Americans say the events surrounding the 2020 presidential election, and all that has happened afterwards, has made them feel that democracy in the United States is more threatened.
In a nation riven by political division, there is noticeable agreement across party lines on this. 81% of Democrats, and 75% of both Republicans and independents, feel that democracy in the United States is more threatened. But what that notion of democracy is - and what is threatening it - may be very different: Americans who think Joe Biden is not the legitimate president are just as likely as those who think he is to say American democracy is under threat.
Majority approves of Twitter deactivating Trump's account
A six-in-ten majority approves of Twitter deactivating Donald Trump's account in the wake of last week's attack on the U.S. Capitol. This includes 89% of Democrats -- most of whom strongly approve of this action -- and 60% of independents. Approval is also high (73%) among the one in six Americans who report using Twitter as a news source.
Republicans take the opposite view, with 78% disapproving, including 64% who strongly disapprove. This strong disapproval number is higher than the 51% of Republicans who, in a separate question, strongly disapprove of the actions taken by the people who forced their way into the Capitol.
Majority say race a factor in how those who attacked Capitol were treated
A majority of Americans (54%) -- and particularly Democrats and Black Americans -- believe race was a factor in how law enforcement treated those who attacked the Capitol last week.
And among those who feel race was a factor, they overwhelmingly (81%) feel the protesters were treated better because most were White, rather than if they had been Black or people of color.
Partisanship is also strongly connected here. Most Republicans don't feel race was a factor, a view that differs from the majority of Democrats and independents who feel it was.
More here.
Nearly half of Americans think some GOP lawmakers encouraged violence
For many Americans, the GOP lawmakers who objected to counting the Electoral College votes in Congress share some of the blame for the violence that occurred at the nation's Capitol. Nearly half -- 47% -- think some of these Republicans encouraged the violence that occurred.
More here.
This CBS News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,521 U.S. residents interviewed between January 11-12, 2021. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as the 2020 presidential vote and registration status. The margin of error is +/- 2.9 points.
1/13/2021
Majority back impeachment and are concerned about more D.C. violence -- CBS News poll
Even as they widely condemn the violence at the Capitol last week, Americans say there could be more in the days to come: 74% think it at least somewhat likely that there could be more acts of violence attempted next week, during President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
Seventy percent of Americans don't want to see President Trump's supporters hold protests next week. But most of Mr. Trump's 2020 voters, who are less likely than Americans overall to think violence is likely next week, would favor protests.
More immediately, a majority of Americans feel President Trump should be impeached now, as the House prepares to take up the matter.
More from the poll here.
12/31/2020
Looking Back on 2020, and Ahead to 2021
2020 was not a happy year for most Americans. Just over half say that, personally, 2020 was a year filled mostly with sadness. Just 22% say it was a year filled mostly with happiness.
But looking ahead, most Americans feel hopeful. 71% of Americans say they personally feel mostly hopeful. Just 17% feel mostly discouraged. Most Americans feel hopeful regardless of how they feel about the past twelve months, though those with a happier outlook on the past year are more likely to be hopeful (81%) than those who view the last twelve months with sadness (68%).
Expectations for the coming year do come into play in terms of whether or not Americans plan to make New Year's resolutions. Nearly half (46%) of Americans who feel hopeful about the next twelve months plan to make New Year's resolutions, while just over a quarter (28%) of those who feel discouraged plan to do the same. Overall, 43% of Americans plan to make New Year's resolutions, similar to a year ago.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone December 8-13, 2020 among a random sample of 1,003 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
12/30/2020
Americans Spent More Time on Electronic Devices in 2020
Perhaps it's no surprise, but in 2020, most Americans say they spent more time engaging with electronic devices than they did the year before. 52% say the amount of time the spent interacting with electronic devices increased.
Younger Americans were the most likely to increase their time with electronic devices. 62% of Americans under 50 say they spent more time interacting with electronic devices than they did in 2019, while most older Americans say they either spent the same amount of time or spent less time doing so.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone December 8-13, 2020 among a random sample of 1,003 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
12/29/2020
Eight in 10 Americans Say the Coronavirus Has Made it More Difficult to Make Plans
Two in three Americans say they miss spending more time with other people
Americans are having trouble making short term plans in the age of coronavirus: 81% say the pandemic has made it more difficult for them to make plans or schedule activities in the near future.
Most Americans report a difference in the number of events they have scheduled compared to a year ago. 71% say they currently have fewer events scheduled in their calendars than they did twelve months ago, including large majorities of Americans regardless of age, race, gender, and income.
And nearly half of Americans say that a major life event they had either planned to throw or attend had to be cancelled as a result of the outbreak.
Those who are making fewer plans tend to view this development more negatively than positively. 66% say they miss spending more time with people, and 49% say having fewer plans makes them feel bored because they have less to do, compared to just 28% who feel relieved to have more free time.
Some Americans, however, are making the best of things. 41% of Americans who have fewer plans say they have taken up a new hobby or pastime that they wouldn't otherwise have had time for.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone December 8-13, 2020 among a random sample of 1,003 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
12/18/2020
Most Americans Plan to See Fewer People this Holiday Season
The coronavirus outbreak seems poised to transform the way Americans will be experiencing the holidays this year. 70% of Americans say they plan to see fewer people this holiday season as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Just over a quarter say they plan to see the same number of people as usual.
Majorities of all age groups plan to see fewer people this holiday season, but this is particularly true of older Americans. Three in four seniors age 65 and older plan to see fewer people.
There are some differences by political partisanship as well. Though majorities across the board say they will be seeing fewer people this holiday season because of the coronavirus, Democrats and independents are more likely to say so than Republicans.
Christmas Trees
70% of Americans will have some sort of Christmas tree in in their home this year, and while more Americans will have an artificial tree than a real one, the percentage that plan on having a real tree in their home is up from last year: from 22% in 2019 to 28% this year. However, the percentage that will have no tree at all this year has also risen by the same amount.
Jingle Bells is Still America's Favorite Holiday Song
Like last year, Jingle Bells remains America's favorite holiday song, volunteered by more than one in 10 Americans. Nearly 12% of Americans pick Jingle Bells as their favorite holiday song, ahead of Silent Night.
Here's the whole top ten:
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone December 8-13, 2020 among a random sample of 1,003 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
12/13/2020
CBS News poll: Most feel election is "settled" but Trump voters disagree
With the Electoral College poised to elect Joe Biden tomorrow, a sizable 62% majority of the nation's voters feel the election is "over and settled" and it's "time to move on;" large majorities feel their own votes were counted correctly, and a majority acknowledges Biden as the "legitimate winner."
But the President's backers feel very differently: 82% of Trump voters say they do not consider Biden legitimate and - perhaps most notably for the coming transition month - almost half of Trump's voters say Trump should refuse to concede after that Electoral College vote happens, and instead do all he can to stay in power.
More from the poll here.
12/11/2020
Drinking in the Age of Covid
We're heading into the time when many Americans usually start attending holiday parties, but the coronavirus pandemic may have changed how Americans get together to enjoy cocktails. 30% of Americans say they have attended a cocktail party online where they've socialized with friends or family over Zoom or some other video conferencing service, though younger adults are far more likely to have done so than older Americans.
And some Americans report drinking less alcohol as a result of the pandemic. A quarter have cut down their alcohol consumption, while just 10% of Americans say they have been drinking more alcoholic beverages. Half say the amount of alcohol they've been drinking hasn't really changed.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone November 10-15, 2020 among a random sample of 1,007 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
12/4/2020
Americans Plan to Do More Shopping Online than in Person this Holiday Season
For the first time, more Americans say they will do most of their holiday shopping online than in person this year. Just 33% of Americans plan to do most of their holiday shopping by going to stores in person, down from a 53% majority in 2018 (when CBS News last asked the question), and 69% in 2011. Nearly half - 46% - will do most of their holiday shopping online, and another 14% say it will be an even mix.
The shift is largely among older Americans. Two years ago, just 27% of Americans age 50 and older planned to do most of their shopping online. Today 45% plan to do so, virtually the same percentage as younger adults.
As we've seen in previous years, Americans with higher incomes also plan do to more of their shopping online than those with lower household incomes, though the percentage who are doing so has increased among all income levels.
About a third of Americans plan to spend less money on holiday shopping this year than they did last year. Most Americans say they will spend about the same amount.
As might be expected, Americans earning less are more likely to spend less. 44%of those with household incomes below $50,000 a year plan to spend less, compared to 24% of Americans earning between $50,000 and $100,000 and 18% of those making over $100,000 a year.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone November 10-15, 2020 among a random sample of 1,007 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
11/23/2020
Thanksgiving in 2020
This Thanksgiving, few Americans will be celebrating with large numbers of people from outside of their households, and half will be celebrating with only their immediate families. Still, a quarter plan to enjoy the holiday with five or more people from outside their homes, including 9% who will be celebrating with more than 10.
Political partisanship plays a role in how many people Americans plan to celebrate Thanksgiving with. Most Democrats and independents will have Thanksgiving dinner with just their immediate families, while this is true of just a third of Republicans. One in five Republicans plan to spend Thanksgiving with more than 10 people outside of their household.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone November 10-15, 2020 among a random sample of 1,007 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
11/20/2020
The Sunday before Thanksgiving marks an annual tradition at CBS News: The "Sunday Morning" 2020 Food issue. We've done some polling to go along with this year's issue on food insecurity, snacking, and eating and cooking in the era of Covid19.
Food Insecurity
More than a third of Americans say there has been a point in their lives where they didn't know where their next meal would come from. 37% say they have experienced this, while 63% have not.
Americans with lower incomes are more likely to have faced this predicament, though many who currently have higher incomes have dealt with this as well. 44% of Americans with household incomes of less than $50,000 a year say there has been a point where they have not known where they would get their next meal, and this is also true of 31% of Americans earning $75,000 a year or more.
One in five Americans say they don't feel their household incomes are enough to meet their bills and obligations, and those who feel this way may be facing some tough choices on how to spend their money. More than half who are having trouble making ends meet say they have had the experience of not knowing where their next meal would come from.
When it comes to addressing the needs of the hungry, most Americans feel this is a responsibility that is shared by the local community at large, rather than only being up to individuals and their families to make sure they provide enough food for themselves. But political partisanship and ideology play a factor: While six in 10 Democrats and liberals feel the local communities bear some responsibility for making sure no one goes hungry, only half of Republicans and independents (and moderates and conservatives) say this is so.
Dining Out Indoors
For those who have more money, dining out is an option, but Americans are divided about just how safe it is to go out to eat at a restaurant these days. 43% of Americans say they would be somewhat comfortable dining out at a restaurant indoors (though just 17% would be very comfortable), while 51% say it makes them either somewhat or very uneasy.
Americans under 50, who may be less at risk from serious effects of the coronavirus, express greater comfort with the idea of eating at a restaurant indoors: 47% of Americans under 50 would be at least somewhat comfortable, compared to 39% of older Americans. But there are bigger differences along partisan lines. 63% of Republicans say they would be at least somewhat comfortable with indoor dining, compared to 42% of independents and 28% of Democrats.
Cooking at Home
Instead of going out to eat, most Americans are doing more cooking at home. 54% say they are cooking more, an even higher percentage than the 44% of Americans who say they have been watching more TV since the pandemic began.
And the more concerned one is about indoor dining, the more likely one is to be doing more cooking at home. 65% of Americans who are very uneasy with the idea of eating inside at a restaurant say they have been doing more cooking, compared to just 37% who are very comfortable with the idea.
Family Recipes
Americans who are doing more cooking are getting some help from their elders. Eight in 10 Americans overall - as well as eight in 10 who are doing more cooking at home since the pandemic began - say their household cooks with at least one recipe that has been passed down from older generations.
Snacks
And for those who either don't want to cook or dine out, there are always snacks to tide you over. Most Americans have between two and five different types of snacks in their homes, though more than a quarter have more than this, including more than one in 10 Americans who have upwards of 10 different types of snack foods.
As for what people like to snack on, Americans have a slight preference for sugar over salt. 44% of Americans say they usually prefer something sweet when having a snack, while 36% usually prefer something salty. Another one in five Americans doesn't have a preference either way.
While men have a slight preference for salty foods, women prefer food that is sweet. Younger Americans also prefer food that is sweet, while adults age 50 and older are more divided.
Those who have 10 or more different types of snacks tend to prefer salty snacks, while those who have fewer prefer something sweet.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone November 10-15, 2020 among a random sample of 1,007 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
11/19/2020
Nearly a quarter of Americans say they have had trouble paying their rent or mortgage as a result of the coronavirus and the resulting economic shutdowns.
Not all Americans have been affected equally: women are more likely to have had trouble paying for housing than men, younger Americans have had more trouble than older Americans, and lower income and Americans with lower levels of education have also had more trouble paying their rent or mortgages.
Some of these Americans have relocated. 17% of those who report having trouble paying their rent or mortgage have changed their residences within the past 12 months.
Many Americans also have financial concerns when looking ahead to the future. 28% are at least somewhat concerned that they will lose their home to eviction or foreclosure, and 36% are at least somewhat concerned that they will not have enough money for food or groceries.
- Fred Backus
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This poll was conducted by telephone October 13-18, 2020 among a random sample of 1,001 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
11/13/2020
Exit poll analysis: Which voters supported Biden or Trump in Georgia and North Carolina?
Georgia
In Georgia, which has not voted to send a Democrat to the White House since Bill Clinton won the state in 1992, Joe Biden was able to hold onto some traditional Democratic voting groups like Black voters and younger voters while also making inroads with White voters, particularly those with college degrees, and older voters, CBS News exit polls show.
North Carolina
Although President Trump was projected by CBS News as the winner of North Carolina, President-elect Joe Biden narrowed the gender gap in North Carolina and turned out Black voters in greater numbers - and won them by slightly larger margins - than Clinton did four years ago, and he narrowly edged out Mr. Trump among White voters with college degrees, by one point.
More here.
11/10/2020: Voters' views on Obamacare
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Tuesday on the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act.
Voters in the presidential election are largely divided on what the Supreme Court should do about Obamacare, according to CBS News exit polling.
There are political divisions. Three-quarters of Democrats who voted want Obamacare kept in place, along with just over half of independents. Seven in 10 Republican voters want the law overturned.
Roughly one in 10 voters chose health care policy as their top issue and a majority of them say they want the Court to keep Obamacare in place. -Jennifer De Pinto
Exit poll results may have updated since this was published.
11/9/2020: Most voters remain hesitant about getting a coronavirus vaccine
A recent CBS News Poll, conducted just days before Election Day, found most voters taking a wait and see approach on getting a coronavirus vaccine.
Six in 10 said they would consider getting one should it become available this year, but would wait to see what happened to others first.
Just one in five voters said they would get a vaccine as soon as it became available.
Views are similar to what they were in September. Most Democrats and Republicans said they would not get a vaccine right away.
There's skepticism across demographic groups. Most voters across all age groups said they would wait to see what happens to others first before getting a vaccine. There are some differences by race as more White voters (23%) than Black voters (13%) said they would get a vaccine as soon as it was available, but most in each group still said they would wait and see what happens to others first before getting one themselves.
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The CBS News survey of 5,175 registered voters in the U.S. was conducted by YouGov between October 26-30, 2020. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on voter registration lists, the U.S. Census American Community Survey, and the U.S. Census Current Population Survey, as well as 2016 Presidential vote. The margin of error for registered voters is +/- 1.5 points.
11/7/2020
How Biden won the 2020 election: Exit poll analysis
Joe Biden was projected as the winner of the 2020 presidential election largely because he was able to convince enough voters that he could better handle the coronavirus pandemic and that he had the right temperament for the job, according to CBS News' analysis of the exit poll data.
The data show that voters who supported Biden were looking for a candidate with good judgment and for someone who could unite the country. Bringing the country together might be difficult, since voters who backed President Trump did not say they saw the coronavirus as a serious problem -- as Biden voters do -- and roughly half of these voters say they're scared of a Biden presidency.
The president-elect had the support of some groups that traditionally vote Democratic and made some inroads with some not-so-traditional Democratic groups, like men and seniors.
More here,
11/6/2020: More from the CBS News Exit Poll
A CLOSE RACE IN NEVADA
President Trump has bumped up his support with Latinos from 2016 and Biden has improved with young voters compared to Hillary Clinton four years ago, keeping this race close.
Mr. Trump has an edge over Biden with Latino Men, a group that went for Clinton by double digits four years ago.
NEVADA LATINO VOTE
2020 Biden 56%, Trump 37%
2020 Clinton 60%, Trump 29%
Biden's vote share among younger voters is higher than than Clinton's was in 2016.
NEVADA VOTERS UNDER AGE 30
2020 Biden 59%, Trump 35%
2020 Clinton 52%, Trump 35%
And there is a gender gap with men voting for Mr. Trump and women voting for Biden.
-by Jennifer De Pinto
More from the CBS News Exit Poll in Nevada here
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GEORGIA: WHY IT'S CLOSE
Part of what's keeping the race tight in Georgia is Joe Biden's improved performance among White voters compared to Hillary Clinton in 2016, particularly among White voters with a college degree. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continues to run strong with groups who backed him four years ago.
GEORGIA: WHITE VOTERS
2020 Biden 29%, Trump 70%
2016 Clinton 21%, Trump 75%
Margins are an important metric when looking at support in various voter groups: in some cases, whether a candidate "wins" a group may be less important than how much he or she wins or loses it by.
GEORGIA: WHITE VOTERS WITH COLLEGE DEGREE
2020: Biden 42% Trump 56%
2016: Biden 28% Trump 69%
Biden is winning groups that often vote Democratic like young voters and Black voters.
GEORGIA: BLACK VOTERS
2020: Biden 87% Trump 11%
Trump is running strong with his coalition like White evangelicals and rural voters.
GEORGIA: WHITE EVANGELICALS
2020: Biden 14% Trump 85%
-by Jennifer De Pinto
More from the CBS News Exit Poll in Georgia here
10/25/2020
Trump-Biden race is tight in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina -- CBS News Battleground Tracker poll
In the final stretch of the campaign, we find three Southern battlegrounds that could still go either way. Our estimates show Joe Biden with just a two-point edge over President Trump in Florida, Biden up four points in North Carolina, and the contest even in Georgia.
More from the poll here.
Black voters motivated, but concerned about votes counting -- CBS News/BET poll
Black voters are motivated and engaged in this election, but fewer than half are very confident their vote will be counted correctly, and more than half express some concern about potential voter intimidation at the polls.
Black voters are an essential part of the Democratic Party's coalition, and they are overwhelmingly backing Joe Biden over President Trump in this election. But Black voters aren't uniformly excited about 2020. We find younger Black voters are less likely to be thinking about the election, and less motivated to vote than older voters. Younger Black voters are also not as enthusiastic in their support for the Democratic ticket. Despite a lower level of enthusiasm for Biden, these younger voters are largely in agreement with their older counterparts in at least one area -- at least nine in 10 say they would never consider voting for Mr. Trump.
More from the poll here.
11/1/2020
Biden leads, Trump needs Election Day surge to win -- CBS News Battleground Tracker
Joe Biden heads into Election Day preferred by voters who have already cast their ballots early. President Trump has a lead among those who plan to show up on November 3. So will Biden's lead hold up? If we trot out the old horserace analogy, Biden has a lead, but we still don't know how long the track is. We need to see how big that Election-Day vote will be.
So we took our baseline state model estimates from our initial polling, which sums to Biden holding an Electoral College lead heading into Election Day, and also estimated what it would take for each candidate to ultimately win.
We estimate from our polling that Mr. Trump is doing, on average, over 30 percentage points better among likely Election-Day voters than early voters. We know the approximate size of the early vote so far, and we vary the potential size of the Election-Day vote to explore two scenarios.
More here.
10/18/2020
Biden leads Trump in Wisconsin, has edge in Arizona -- CBS News Battleground Tracker poll
From Wisconsin to Arizona, as in much of the country, these final weeks of the campaign look to be about who actually votes, because voters say they've made their choices, and many have made it official. Mail ballot returns are pouring in, and almost all remaining voters say they're locked into their decisions anyway.
The coronavirus outbreak continues to shape the election in these states. Wisconsin is now going through another rise in cases, and Arizona was hard-hit earlier this year. It's particularly related to the views of those voting for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who note it as a big reason they're picking him over President Trump and believe he would handle the outbreak better. Biden is cutting into the president's 2016 support levels with key groups like seniors, men and White, non-college voters, helping to push him to a 5-point lead in Wisconsin, and a 3-point lead in Arizona.
More from the poll here.
10/12/2020
Biden leads Trump in Michigan and Nevada, and race is tied in Iowa -- CBS News Battleground Tracker poll
Most voters in the battleground states of Michigan, Nevada and Iowa feel President Trump set a bad example for the nation during his own recent battle with the coronavirus, handling things in a way they call irresponsible.
More voters say it made them feel angry rather than feel confident, and many even say they were offended. Most voters in Michigan think the Trump administration's policies are making the outbreak worse. And with voters still concerned about getting the virus themselves, large majorities suspect that, as he recovered, the president received better medical treatments than they would.
Meanwhile Joe Biden holds a large advantage over Mr. Trump on being seen as someone who cares about others, draws more favorable ratings for how he handles himself personally and, as in other states recently, would be better on handling the outbreak.
In Michigan, Biden has now drawn even with Mr. Trump on handling the economy, too -- which was one measure where the president had enjoyed an edge.
Biden remains in the lead in Michigan, ahead by six points, and he's up in Nevada by six, and is even in Iowa -- a state the president won handily four years ago.
More from the poll here.