WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new poll shows 40-percent of Americans expect violent protests to happen no matter which candidate wins the White House in the November election.
The polling is from the Public Affairs Council, a nonpartisan, nonpolitical association for public affairs professionals. The PAC said their new polling shows 41 percent of people believe there could be violence if former President Donald Trump wins, but if Vice President Kamala Harris wins, the chance of violence increases to 49-percent.
The organization said it’s Americans’ first amendment right to protest but violence breaking out in a protest is a different question. It’s a question they haven’t really surveyed people on regarding our elections but the January 6, 2021 US Capitol attack changed that. Following that event, they said more Americans expect violence to occur no matter who wins the White House.
“Interestingly, young people are more worried about it than old people, but actually young people are more pessimistic about whether the elections will be honest and open than old people,” said PAC President and CEO, Doug Pinkham.
The polling also showed that 44-percent of Americans have serious doubts that the November elections will be honest and open. The PAC said Democrats are far more optimistic about the integrity and fairness of the elections than are Republicans and Independents. They said a lot of disinformation could be a reason why there’s serious doubts about election integrity.