ALBANY, N.Y. (WBEN) Overwhelmingly, voters are supportive of gun reforms recently enacted in New York State. "More than three quarters of voters, 76%, say they think new gun laws signed by Governor Kathy Hochul will be good for New York," said Siena College Pollster Steven Greenberg.
The poll was conducted after the Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas mass shootings.
The new laws include banning anyone under the age of 21 from buying or owning a semi automatic rifle. In addition, laws require a permit for such sales, tightening red flag laws, and banning body armor sales to civilians.
Related
Many statewide polls in the past have shown dramatic partisan differences. Not this one.
"83% of Democrats thinks the laws will be good for New York,
along with 73% percent of Independents and 67% of Republican voters," said Greenberg. You can read the entire poll HERE.
"Additionally, we wanted to know how gun owners felt about it, versus non gun owners. 79% percent of non gun owners think the law will be good, as well as 73% percent of gun owners."
It has been 9 years since the Safe Act was passed in the state. Greenberg said the sentiments today seem to mirror those from a poll in 2018, on the 5 year anniversary of the Safe Act.
"On the 5 year anniversary of the Safe Act, we asked voters back then if they supported or opposed it. 61% supported it. 28% opposed it."
The poll also asked voters about a looming Supreme Court decision regarding New York's decades-old law requiring a license to carry a concealed handgun. "New York has had a law that only allows licensed adults, over age 21, the right to carry a concealed handgun. "We asked, would you like to see the Supreme Court uphold that law and let New York continue to require a license for a concealed handgun, or would you like to see the law overturned, eliminating the need to have a license to carry a concealed handgun?"
Greenberg said overwhelming, 79% of voters said they want to see the Supreme Court uphold the concealed carry law. Only 15% want to see the law overturned.
"It was across the board," he said. "82% of Democrats, 79% of Republicans, 77% of Independents and 72% of gun owners overwhelmingly support requiring a license to carry a concealed weapon in New York."
802 voters were surveyed for the poll which was conducted June 7-9 and June 13, 2022. It has an overall margin of error of + 3.9 percentage points.
