Reports from the field
Compass Polls, our national public polling research series, make timely opinion research accessible. Browse our analyses, articles, and press releases.
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Voters Share K-12 Concern; Disagree About Causes
79% of voters are extremely or very concerned about K-12 schools and students underperforming in the US, with the level of worry steady across party lines. The agreement stops there: Democrats point to underfunding and teacher shortages as the primary causes, while Republicans cite curriculum drift and lowered standards.
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What Voter Motivation Reveals About 2026
Democrats lead in the latest Change Research Compass Poll, but by how much depends entirely on who shows up to vote. Voters who say they are certain to cast a ballot lean heavily Democratic; voters who are less committed lean Republican, and many haven't made up their minds. Stephen Clermont examines what the motivation gap reveals about the November electorate.
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Voters Back Ethics Reforms for Congress and Courts
The August 2026 Compass Poll finds majority, cross-party support for maximum age limits for Congress (83%) and the presidency (78%), banning congressional stock trading (88%), a Supreme Court ethics code (90%), and a post-service lobbying restriction (88%). One proposed measure partially shifts the pattern: requiring presidential tax return disclosure draws 58% support among Republicans, against 95% of Democrats and 87% of independents.
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Who Draws the Map? Voters Weigh In
A majority of voters oppose states redrawing congressional maps specifically to gain partisan seats, and 55% support independent redistricting commissions over state legislatures. But when the August 2026 Compass Poll asked voters to describe a fair congressional map in their own words, many could not.
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Corruption Is Rising as A Top Voter Issue
Government corruption tops voters' list of most important political issues in August 2026, cited by 40% of registered voters nationally, up six points from 34% in February. The finding draws cross-partisan agreement, with 43% of Democrats, 46% of independents, and 36% of Republicans all ranking it near the top of their lists, even as open-ended responses show they mean very different things by the word.
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Support for U.S.-Israel Defense Goals Varies
A Change Research national poll finds that support for expanded U.S.-Israel defense cooperation varies considerably by goal, with broad agreement on counterterrorism intelligence sharing and nuclear non-proliferation but division on removing Iran's leadership and on protecting Israel.
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Voter Views on September 11, 25 Years Later
Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, a new Change Research survey explores how Americans remember the attacks, what they believe happened, and how they assess the policies and wars that followed. The findings reveal some partisan and generational divides on questions of accountability, legacy, and choices of the post-9/11 era.
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Most Americans Say the Iran War Is Not Worth Fighting
A new Change Research survey finds that 57% of Americans say the Iran war is "not worth fighting," and nearly half say the conflict could go on "indefinitely." Democrats and independents mostly feel the war is not worth fighting; Republicans disagree.
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The Gender Gap in Political Ambition Persists in 2026
Women just set a new candidacy record for governor. But a new Change Research survey of 2,006 voters finds one gap hasn't moved: men are still far more likely than women to say they've thought about running for office, 36% to 20%. The qualification gap is even wider. Here's why it hasn't closed in two decades.
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Change Research Moves the Needle in the 2026 Primaries
Change Research's polling accuracy held up across the 2026 primary cycle, including a call in Los Angeles's City Council District 11 that landed within half a percent of the final result. Change Research's Dynamic Online Sampling approach delivered reliable numbers for campaigns up and down the ballot, and the data revealed clear voter enthusiasm and generational divides heading into November.
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Voters Back Some Digital Blue Laws for Minors but Not Others
Voters overwhelmingly want to restrict minors' access to explicit adult content online, but they're a lot less sold on locking their teenagers out of Instagram at 11pm. New Change Research polling of 2,006 registered voters breaks down where Americans actually draw the line on minors' digital safety, and it's not where you'd guess.
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North Carolina Republicans’ Growing Frustration with President Trump
A Change Research survey of 967 North Carolinians, conducted July 29 through August 1, 2026 (see here for topline results and here for the …
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Voters Back Age Limits for Government Officials
A Change Research national survey of 2,006 registered voters, conducted July 13–17, 2026, finds majority support for maximum age limits across four …
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80% Support Banning or Restricting Phones in Schools
As more states move to ban or restrict student cell phone use in schools, a Change Research national survey of 2,006 registered voters, conducted …
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When Disaster Strikes, Voters More Confident in Local Community
A Change Research national survey of 2,006 registered voters, conducted July 13-17, 2026, finds that 65% of voters are confident in their local …
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Political Fatigue Is High, Yet People Report Being More Politically Engaged
In our latest Change Research national survey of 1,714 registered voters, conducted June 10-17, 2026, we asked about voters’ engagement with …
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Voter Views on Public Services
A Change Research national survey of 1,714 registered voters, conducted June 10-17, 2026, finds that, when given a choice between “a public agency …
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The Trust Playbook: What Voters Are Waiting to See and Hear
A Change Research national survey of 1,330 likely general election voters, conducted May 5 through 7, 2026, finds that just 15% of likely 2026 voters …
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Tracking Voter Shifts in Financial Anxiety
A Change Research national survey of 1,714 registered voters, conducted June 10 to 17, 2026, finds that majorities report pessimism about the …
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Happy 250th, America: Proud Today, Hopeful for Tomorrow
This Fourth of July, the United States turns 250. To mark the occasion, a Change Research survey of 1,714 registered voters, fielded June 10 through …
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Movable Voter Frustrations With Both Parties
A Change Research Compass Poll of 2,244 registered voters nationwide, conducted May 5 to 10, 2026, finds that among voters who have not firmly …
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Plus or Minus Mental Health Webinar Recap
On June 17, the Change Research team hosted the latest installment of the Plus or Minus webinar series, sharing fresh data from our June 2026 Compass …
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The Anatomy of the Ideal Candidate
We posed one open-ended question to 3,371 U.S. adults across two waves of our May and June 2026 Compass Poll: what kind of person do you want running …
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Does Mental Health Get Too Little Political Attention?
There is evidence that mental health has become an important issue for American voters, yet most say their elected officials are not giving it …
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Plus or Minus Economy Webinar Recap
Last week, the Change Research team hosted the latest installment of our Plus or Minus webinar series, walking attendees through fresh data from our …
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Voter Views on the Voting Rights Act Ruling and Redistricting
A Change Research national survey of 2,244 registered voters, conducted from May 5-10, 2026, finds that more voters oppose than support the Supreme …
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Voters Oppose Both Taxpayer and Private Funding for Trump's White House Ballroom
A Change Research national survey of 2,244 registered voters, conducted May 5 to 10, 2026, finds that most voters oppose congressional action to fund …
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Where Americans Stand on AI and the Workforce
A Change Research national survey of 2,702 registered voters, conducted April 3-7, 2026, asked people about opportunities for human workers as AI …
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Voter Views on Family, Work, and Caregiving
A Change Research national survey of 2,702 registered voters, conducted April 3 to 7, 2026, finds that men and women hold meaningfully different …
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Who Do Voters Want in 2028?
It's never too early to start looking towards 2028, right? Since January 2025, favorable ratings for President Trump, Vice President Vance, and …
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Opposition to Data Centers Has Grown Sharply Since 2025
A Change Research national survey of 2,702 registered voters, conducted April 3-7, 2026, finds that opposition to data center construction has grown …
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Voters Prioritize AI Safety (Even If It Means Falling Behind China)
A Change Research survey of 2,702 registered voters, conducted April 3-7, 2026, finds that a majority of Americans prefer stricter regulation of …
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Yes, the 22nd Amendment Blocks Donald Trump from a Third Term. So Would Barack Obama.
President Trump has long teased the idea of “working something out” to seek a third term, or finding a “loophole” that would enable this. We are not …
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Over Half of Voters See the American Dream As Out of Reach
A Change Research national survey of 2,702 registered voters, conducted April 3 to 7, 2026, finds that most voters rate inflation and the cost of …
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Why Voters Support or Oppose Military Action in Iran
A Change Research national survey of 2,702 registered voters, conducted April 3–7, 2026, gave supporters and opponents of the Iran conflict the …
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Americans Feel Climate Events, Split on Federal Action
As Earth Day turns 56 this April, a Change Research national survey of 1,541 registered voters conducted March 8-12, 2026, finds that most Americans …
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The Political Climate Is Americans' Top Stressor
A Change Research national survey of 1,541 registered voters, conducted March 8-12, 2026, finds that 30% of Americans name the political situation as …
Read moreVoters Voice Frustration and Financial Strain
As tax season arrives in America, a new national poll from Change Research reveals widespread negative sentiment. Voters are pessimistic about the …
Read moreElection Confidence Varies Widely by Region
A Change Research national survey of 1,541 registered voters, conducted March 8 to 12, 2026, finds that where Americans live shapes how they feel …
Read moreVoters Express Concerns About Election Integrity Ahead of November
A Change Research national survey of 1,541 registered voters, conducted March 8 to 12, 2026, finds that voters express significantly more confidence …
Read moreVoter Views on AI Companies and Military Use
A Change Research national survey of 1,541 registered voters, conducted from March 8 to 12, 2026, finds that a plurality of voters support AI …
Read moreVoters Question U.S. Military Action in Iran
A Change Research national survey of 1,541 registered voters, conducted March 8–12, 2026, finds majority opposition to U.S. military action in Iran, …
Read moreAmericans Feel AI's Impact and Worry About the Future
A Change Research national survey of 1,741 voters, conducted from February 5-18, 2026, finds that the transformation of American life by artificial …
Read moreAmericans Want Answers on Epstein. Most Don't Think They're Getting Them.
On January 30, the Department of Justice released over 3 million pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the largest …
Read moreWhere Americans Stand on Reproductive Rights
As the nation marks Women's History Month, new polling from Change Research reveals where Americans stand on some policies shaping women's lives. The …
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