Americans are preparing for violence but are ready to accept the election results

Most Americans expect violence after Election Day but remain confident their vote will be counted correctly and are willing to accept the results of the presidential race, according to a new Scripps News/Ipsos poll.

The poll of 1,000 Americans found both parties have concerns about unrest after November 5th. Overall, 62% of respondents — including 70% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans — say election-related violence is “somewhat” or “very likely.”

And among respondents in the key battleground state of Wisconsin, which was also sampled in the survey, concern about violence is higher at 72%.

And many, 51%, say they would support using the U.S. military to deter potential threats around Election Day.

However, a large majority of 77% also stated that they would be prepared to accept the election results if their preferred candidate lost.

Overall, the poll results paint a picture of a country that remains largely confident about its elections but is worried about the possible consequences of the first presidential election since the Capitol riots on Jan. 6.

mood of the country

Large portions of Republicans (61%) and Democrats (51%) said they would specifically support the use of the military to prevent unrest on Election Day.

Although the use of the U.S. military has become a campaign issue, the conversation focused on former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the military could be used to deal with the “enemy from within,” a group that which, in his opinion, also includes political rivals.

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Most Americans, 56%, described the state of U.S. democracy as “weak,” including 70% of Republicans and more than four in 10 Democrats.

And many, 51%, say they would support using the U.S. military to prevent violence around Election Day.

“Anxious” was the predominant answer at 37% in a list of words intended to describe how respondents are feeling ahead of November 5th. This was followed by “hopeful” at 32% and “ready” at 21%.

Believe in the choice

Although most Americans and voters in Wisconsin are confident that their votes are secure, there are wide partisan differences in how both parties view different voting methods.

An overwhelming majority trusts in-person voting before and on election day. But Republican and independent voters’ confidence in other methods is declining significantly.

Only one in three Republicans and 49% of independents believe ballot drop boxes are secure. Slightly more Republicans (38%) and independents (51%) believe mail-in voting is safe.

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Acceptance of the election results

And even if their preferred candidate doesn’t win next month, three-quarters of Americans are willing to accept the election results. A slightly higher percentage of Democrats (85%) than Republicans (77%) say they are likely to accept the results.

18 percent of Republicans and 8 percent of Democrats said they would not commit to accepting the results.

After four years of former President Donald Trump denying he lost the 2020 election, Republicans are much more likely to blame widespread voter fraud if their candidate fails. About four in 10 Republicans said widespread voter fraud was the reason their candidate lost, while 8% of Democrats said the same.

A large percentage of both parties agreed that their candidate should “challenge the results in court and accept court rulings.”

A small percentage of voters, 8%, said they would support their candidate’s victory “by any means necessary, even if violence is involved.”

This Scripps News/Ipsos poll was conducted by Ipsos October 18-20, 2024 using the probabilistic KnowledgePanel®. This survey is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,028 adults ages 18 and older. The sample includes 328 respondents currently residing in Wisconsin.