How well is the United States living up to the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

Which moments in the nation鈥檚 history represent American democracy at its best?

How do Americans assess the country鈥檚 current condition?

What do people expect the nation to look like when it celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2076?

Those were some of the questions behind one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll. The findings were cited in nearly 600 media stories and opinion pieces across the ideological spectrum and contributed to public discussion during the nation鈥檚 semiquincentennial.

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is among the country鈥檚 longest running university-based public opinion polling organizations, with a reputation for accuracy in measuring public opinion on elections, public policy and issues affecting North Carolina and the nation. The America250 project built on that foundation to explore questions that are rarely included in national polling.

Professor Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll, coordinated with a group of faculty and staff to dig deep into the American psyche, stepping away from typical questions related to current events to explore how Americans think about their nation鈥檚 past, present and future. The result was a comprehensive report released just weeks before Independence Day that offered a broad portrait of how Americans view the United States at one of the most significant milestones in its history.

Husser, a professor of political science and public policy, said Americans鈥� divergent views in the survey results were not surprising. 鈥淧luralistic, democratic societies rarely generate true consensus about public affairs,鈥� Husser says. 鈥淣onetheless, when we read the findings in their totality, especially considering the optimism of young Americans, we see an underlying theme of perseverance perhaps best reflected in three-quarters of Americans who agreed with President Abraham Lincoln: 鈥楪overnment of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.鈥欌��

Proud of the country, concerned about its direction

Taken together, the results revealed a public that remains strongly attached to the United States while expressing considerable concern about its democratic institutions.

Nearly seven in 10 Americans said they are proud to be American, and two-thirds said they would not want to live in another country. At the same time, 52% said the nation is not successfully living up to its founding ideals, while 73% rated the overall health of American democracy as only 鈥渇air鈥� or 鈥減oor.鈥�

Forty percent said that at least once a week they have felt the nation is on the brink of a major crisis, and 70% said the current period is more turbulent and unstable than average across U.S. history.

Those findings echoed a theme that appeared throughout the survey: Americans expressed confidence in many of the country鈥檚 enduring ideals while offering a more cautious assessment of its present condition.

That pattern appeared in one of the survey鈥檚 most widely discussed results: 69% of respondents said they believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be more disappointed than proud if they could see American democracy today.

Reflecting on the nation鈥檚 history

The survey also invited Americans to think about the nation鈥檚 defining moments and leaders.

Asked which event best represented American democracy at its highest ideals, respondents most often selected the Civil Rights Movement, followed by World War II and the end of slavery. Abraham Lincoln was named both the historical figure who best exemplified American democracy and the nation鈥檚 greatest president. Other top presidents, in order of popularity, included Barack Obama, George Washington, Donald Trump, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.

Looking ahead

If Americans found inspiration in parts of the nation鈥檚 past, they expressed greater uncertainty about its future.

Sizable majorities predicted that by 2076 the country will be more politically divided, have more polluted air and water, and less freedom for citizens. Only about one-third expressed confidence that American political institutions would make mostly good decisions over the next 50 years.

Yet the survey also uncovered a notable generational pattern. Across many questions, younger adults expressed more optimism than older Americans. Respondents under 30 were more likely to believe the nation is living up to its founding ideals and more confident that American institutions will make good decisions in the decades ahead.

Toward a 鈥榤ore perfect union鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book wrote in the report鈥檚 introduction that civic engagement has long been central to the university鈥檚 mission.

鈥淓lon was founded in an era when American higher education increasingly saw democracy itself as dependent on an informed and engaged citizenry,鈥� Book wrote. 鈥淭hat conviction remains central to the university today.鈥�

For the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll, the America250 project demonstrates a broader role that universities can play in public life. Beyond measuring elections and political campaigns, polling can also document how Americans understand their democracy, their history and their future. As the nation looks forward to its tricentennial in 2076, this survey provides an important benchmark as Americans continue to strive for the 鈥渕ore perfect union鈥� envisioned in the U.S. Constitution.

The America250 survey, conducted April 30 through May 4 with field work by the international polling firm YouGov, included responses from 1,000 adults nationwide and was designed to represent the U.S. adult population. For the survey report, full data and methodology, visit elon.edu/elonpoll.

Constitutional Amendment 鈥� Photo ID

Likely voters in the November general election are strongly in favor of changes to the North Carolina Constitution to require a photo ID for all forms of voting, including absentee mail-in ballots. The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll found that 63% of likely voters favored this constitutional amendment compared with 25% who opposed it and 12% who were unsure. The amendment reads as follows:

Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting.

Following an April 2023 ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court, absentee voters must include a photocopy of their photo IDs with their mailed-in ballots or complete an ID Exception Form. This constitutional amendment would lock that requirement into the state鈥檚 constitution so it could not be changed by lawmakers.

Constitutional Amendment 鈥� Income Tax

Likely voters strongly favor changes to the North Carolina Constitution to lower the maximum allowable state personal income tax rate from 7% to 3.5%. In this survey, 67% favored this constitutional amendment, compared with 18% who opposed it and 16% who were unsure. The amendment reads as follows:

Constitutional amendment to keep the State income tax rate from being raised higher than three and one鈥慼alf percent (3.5%).

North Carolina鈥檚 current individual income tax rate is a flat rate of 3.99%, down from 4.25% in 2025. The rate is to 3.49% in 2027 and 2.99% in 2028. This amendment would set a constitutional cap at 3.5% starting in 2027.

Constitutional Amendment 鈥� Property Tax

Likely voters are strongly in favor of changes to the North Carolina Constitution requiring the General Assembly to limit increases in property taxes levied by local governments. In this survey, 72% favored this constitutional amendment, compared with 14% who opposed it and 14% who were unsure. The amendment reads as follows:

Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments.

This amendment would not set a specific cap on property tax increases but would require state lawmakers to pass laws that limit how much local governments can increase total property tax revenue from one year to the next. The amendment calls for a 鈥渓evy limit鈥� to cap growth in total dollars collected by a local government, rather than a 鈥渞ate cap,鈥� which would limit the tax rate for property owners. If the amendment passes, the General Assembly would need to enact laws defining the revenue limits and any exceptions.

鈥淔ollowing a long history of most constitutional amendments on the Noth Carolina ballot being approved by voters, the three 2026 amendments all have multiples more 鈥榝or鈥� than 鈥榓gainst,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and professor of political science and public policy. 鈥淚n the case of the 2026 amendments, all three lock in current status quo rather than leading to immediate policy change, which decreases their potential for controversy in an election cycle currently focused on the politicians on the ballot.鈥�

North Carolina constitutional amendment process

All three of these questions were put on the ballot by the General Assembly, which has sole power to pose constitutional questions to voters. In this poll, 58% of likely voters favored creating a process for citizens to introduce constitutional amendments, with 15% opposing citizen-initiated amendments and 27% unsure.

鈥淪tate constitutional amendments impact state law and policy in complex ways,鈥� Husser said. 鈥淗owever, ballot language that voters see on election day is often short. Our poll very closely replicated the ballot text that voters will see. If the ballot language differed or provided more detailed summaries for each amendment, we would likely find different results.鈥�

Marijuana laws

North Carolina adults were strongly in favor of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes and also supported legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in the state. Medical use of the substance was favored by 75% with only 11% in opposition. For recreational use, 55% were in support of legalization compared with 30% who opposed it and 15% who were unsure.

These levels of support for marijuana legalization are mostly unchanged from an 福利亚洲国产精品 poll in January 2021.

There was a significant partisan divide on the legalization questions with Democrats far more likely to support loosening marijuana laws. Eighty-nine percent of Democrats favored legalizing medical marijuana compared with 57% of Republicans. For recreational use of marijuana, 74% of Democrats favored legalization compared with only 33% of Republicans.

Related to hemp-derived products like seltzers and gummies with THC levels that can cause intoxication, 53% supported legalization and 28% said those products should be prohibited, with 19% unsure. Among Democrats, 62% favored legalization of these THC products compared with only 35% of Republicans.

An overwhelming majority of all adults (82%) favored prohibiting the sale of hemp-derived products to anyone under the age of 21.

Husser pointed out that the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll has tracked marijuana attitudes over the last decade in North Carolina. 鈥淲e found a significant increase in support for legalization between 2017 and 2021 as North Carolinians saw legalization occurring in other states,鈥� Husser said. 鈥淥ver the last five years, support for legalization has largely been stable with a large majority supporting medical legalization and a small majority favoring recreational legalization. In turn, support for allowing hemp-based THC has similar levels of support and high correlation with support for recreational marijuana. However, North Carolinians are largely unified in wanting hemp consumables restricted to those 21 or older.鈥�

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered through online panels. Between August 21 and August 31, 2026, YouGov interviewed 1,121 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for likely voters in this survey is +/- 5.5%, for registered voters in this survey (adjusted for weights) the margin of error is +/-5.05%, and the margin of error for all adults in this survey is +/-5.09%.

Among likely voters (those who said it is 鈥渁bsolutely certain鈥� or 鈥渧ery likely鈥� they will vote), Cooper was favored by 49%, with Whatley favored by 38%. Eight percent were undecided and candidates Shannon Bray (Libertarian) and Michael Dublin (Green) were favored by two percent each.

Among all those who said they were registered to vote, Cooper is favored by 49% and Whatley is favored by 36%, with 14% saying they were undecided or planned to vote for someone else and 2% saying they do not plan to vote.

The survey of 800 North Carolina adults was conducted August 21-31, 2026, and has a margin of error for likely voters of 5.6%.

Seventy-two percent of poll respondents said they are registered to vote in the state, with 63% of those registered voters saying it is absolutely certain they will vote in November and another 20% saying it is very likely they will vote.

In this survey, 71% of registered voters said they had heard 鈥渁 great deal鈥� or 鈥渟ome鈥� about Cooper, who was North Carolina governor from 2017 to 2025 and previously served 16 years as the state鈥檚 attorney general. In comparison, 47% said they had heard 鈥渁 great deal鈥� or 鈥渟ome鈥� about Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party.

Fifteen percent said they had heard nothing at all about Whatley compared with only 4% who had heard nothing at all about Cooper.

Regardless of who they personally plan to vote for, 54% of registered voters predicted that Cooper will win the race, compared with 29% who predicted that Whatley will win.

鈥淒espite an increase in advertising, we measured relatively little movement over the last month in voter intentions about the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, with Democratic candidate Roy Cooper maintaining a strong lead over Republican Michael Whatley,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and a professor of political science and public policy. 鈥淭he race continues to appear competitive among the group of voters who are highly familiar with Whatley. However, the size of that group remains relatively small and slowly growing.

“Now that we have passed Labor Day, campaigning will approach full velocity, offering some final opportunity for Whatley to increase familiarity and narrow Cooper鈥檚 lead in the race.鈥�

Questions about the voting process

福利亚洲国产精品 half (51%) of registered voters said they plan to cast their votes in person during the early voting period that runs October 15-31. Thirty-five percent plan to vote in person at the polls on November 3 and only about 8% plan to cast their votes by mail.

Under state law, county election boards began distributing absentee ballots to those who had requested them on September 4.

found that 40 other states had higher vote-by-mail numbers than North Carolina in 2022, when only 5 percent of ballots in the state were cast by mail. Nationwide, about one in three Americans cast their votes by mail in the 2024 general election.

In August, President Trump issued an executive order that would give the U.S. Postal Service control over the issuance of mail-in ballots in this year鈥檚 election. Following court decisions blocking that action, the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the case, threatening to create serious questions about the voting process just weeks before the election.

鈥淲e find a substantial majority of registered voters in North Carolina to be satisfied with the status quo on length of early voting,鈥� Husser said. 鈥淭hough Democrats reported somewhat higher rates than Republicans of planning to vote early in the upcoming election, only a small minority of voters in either political party told us early voting is too long.鈥�

In August, Gov. Josh Stein vetoed a bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly to reduce the number of early voting days for primary elections in the state. In this survey, 56% of poll respondents said the length of the early voting period in statewide elections is about right, with 11% saying early voting is too short, 11% saying early voting is too long and 22% unsure.

Issues on voters鈥� minds

Among registered voters, 51% said they were extremely or very excited to cast their ballots and 83% said this year鈥檚 election was extremely or somewhat important for real-world outcomes in their lives.

Pocketbook issues were at the top of registered voters鈥� minds as they make their voting decisions. Eighty-six percent said inflation and the cost of living are 鈥渧ery important鈥� issues, with 73% saying the general economy and healthcare are 鈥渧ery important.鈥�

Other 鈥渧ery important鈥� issues included taxes (66%), Social Security (64%), personal character of candidates (60%), immigration (54%), the war in Iran (50%) and the environment (43%).

Grading the health of the nation鈥檚 economy, 49% of registered voters gave grades of 鈥淒鈥� and 鈥淔鈥�, with 30% assigning a 鈥淐鈥� grade and only 22% giving 鈥淎鈥� or 鈥淏鈥� grades.

Related to the war with Iran, 52% of registered voters opposed the U.S. military involvement compared with 31% who supported it. 福利亚洲国产精品 40% said a year from now America will be less safe as a result of U.S. military actions in Iran, with 30% saying America will be more safe.

鈥淰oters are placing very high emphasis on the economy, especially the cost of living, and voters are overwhelming thinking the economy is not good,鈥� Husser said. 鈥淭his is driving a great deal of attitudes towards both President Trump and Congressional candidates of his party. While much of the national political focus over the next two months will be on the performance of individual candidates and their campaigns, many political outcomes will be influenced at least as much by the ongoing performance of the economy.鈥�

Approval ratings

This survey gathered new data on approval ratings for President Donald Trump and N.C. Gov. Josh Stein.

Among all poll respondents, 54% disapproved of the job Trump is doing as president and 31% approved. While Trump鈥檚 disapproval numbers in North Carolina have stayed roughly the same during 2026, his approval rating in this survey was the lowest recorded by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll since Trump took office in January 2025.

Stein had a 40% approval rating, a drop of 6% from the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducted at the end of July. Stein鈥檚 disapproval numbers stayed steady at 25%.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered through online panels. Between August 21 and August 31, 2026, YouGov interviewed 1,121 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for likely voters in this survey is +/- 5.6%, for registered voters in this survey (adjusted for weights) the margin of error is +/-5.05%, and the margin of error for all adults in this survey is +/-5.09%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policymaking through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of the听, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and who conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

These AI users use LLMs in ways that build bonds of connection, confidence and trust. Some have developed aspects of reliance on AI tools and prefer interacting with them to dealing with humans. They confide in them, seek advice on important life issues, roleplay scenarios that they might encounter in romantic or other settings and would be unhappy to lose access to their bots.

The people who have used LLMs for social, emotional and personal purposes are known as 鈥淎I companion users鈥� and a representative sample of 1,000 of them were surveyed to discover how they use their social bots, the nature of their relationships and the impact of their encounters with these systems.

These AI companions serve important, sensitive purposes and fulfill key roles in users鈥� lives. Some of the major findings:

• 31% of those who use AI for social and emotional purposes said they consider their AI chatbot to be a friend, and another 15% said their relationship with the bot is 鈥渕ore complicated鈥� than whether the bot is a friend or not.
• 59% of AI companion users strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: AI gives me the support I need.
• 53% strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: I turn to AI when I need advice on how to handle difficult situations with other people.
• 51% strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: Talking to AI helps me feel better when I鈥檓 stressed or upset.
• 50% strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: I use AI to talk through personal problems or feelings.
• 43% strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: AI understands me as a person. And 39% agreed with the statement: AI understands me better than most people.
• 38% said the advice and conversations they had with their AI companion were very or moderately helpful when it comes to talking about problems in their romantic or sexual relationships. Another 12% described their conversations as slightly helpful. In addition, 9% said they had ever used AI for sexual chat or roleplay.
• 39% said they occasionally tell AI things that they would not tell other people.
• 37% strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: I would feel a personal loss if I could no longer interact with AI.
• 36% of AI companion users strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: AI cares about my well-being.
• If they could no longer talk to AI about personal matters, 24% said they would miss it a lot; 40% said they would miss it a bit; and 36% said they would not miss it at all.
• 11% said they would rather have a conversation with their AI companion than with friends or family; another 27% said they value their conversations with AI as much as their conversations with friends or family. Overall, 59% said they鈥檇 rather have conversations with friends or family.

鈥淔uturists and cultural commentators have wondered what would happen once artificial systems became connected and companionable with humans,鈥� said Lee Rainie, director of 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Imagining the Digital Future Center. 鈥淭he findings in our new study provide the first wave of insights about these emerging relationships as large language models like ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot are adopted by people and as AI agents become part of the landscape. They are harbingers of a future in which many more people will likely have these kinds of relationships.鈥�

Notable shares of AI companion users said they use their bots and turn to them in personal 鈥� sometimes intimate 鈥� ways:

• 39% said they had ever used AI to pass the time or have a conversation when they were bored or while doing something else like driving or preparing a meal.
• 38% of AI companion users strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement: I sometimes chat with AI just to feel less alone.
• 29% said they had ever used AI to talk about problems in their personal relationships.
• 26% said they had ever used AI to talk about problems in their work relationships.

Some companion users explore key life issues with their bots. Asked about some consequential ways they might interact with their AI companion:

• 67% of AI companion users said they had used their bot to get advice on health, fitness or lifestyle choices.
• 41% said they had used their bot to help explore how to deal with major financial questions like investments or big purchases.
• 39% said they had used their bot to help explore how to think about their career or education.
• 31% said they had used their bot to help explore how to deal with major issues related to their family, such as whether to have children or where to live.
• 30% said they had used their bot to help explore how to deal with legal matters in their lives.
• 26% of AI companion users said they had used their bot to help explore their spiritual, religious or philosophical beliefs.
• 11% of AI companion users said they had used their bot to help explore who or what to vote for in an election.

This survey was developed as a collaboration between the 福利亚洲国产精品 Imagining the Digital Future Center and the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll. It was fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey. Between May 18 and May 22, 2026, YouGov interviewed 4,268 U.S. internet-using adults 18+ years old, with the goal of screening for and surveying AI users with emotional or social use of AI.

The total U.S. adult internet-using sample was then matched down to a sample of 4,031, yielding a target subsample of 1,000 AI users with emotional or social use of AI. The respondents were matched to a sampling frame on gender, age, race, and education. Further details on the methodology can be found

is an interdisciplinary research center focused on the human impact of accelerating digital change and the socio-technical challenges that lie ahead. The Center was established in 2000 as Imagining the Internet and renamed with an expanded research agenda in 2024. It is funded and operated by , a nationally ranked private university located in Elon, North Carolina.

The 2026 North Carolina Political Landscape Report finds that the identities most widely embraced across the state are rooted in work, community, place and shared civic values鈥攏ot political movements or ideological labels. By examining how North Carolinians identify themselves across 30 political, economic, cultural and lifestyle identities, the report paints a more nuanced portrait of the state’s electorate than traditional measures of party affiliation alone.

鈥淲inning coalitions of voters are often built by group attachments beyond party labels alone,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and professor of political science and public policy. 鈥淥utcomes in North Carolina elections are driven not only by whether the state has more Democrats or more Republicans, but also whether politicians can move those who identify with groups like working class, progressives or Second Amendment advocates. We measured the scope of some of the largest politically relevant group identities in North Carolina to offer insight into why some ideas stick in the state and others struggle.鈥�

The broad middle is larger than the ideological edges.

Across the state, the identities most commonly selected are remarkably broad. More than three-quarters of respondents identify as working class (77%), while nearly as many identify as anti-racist (74%) and proud North Carolinian (74%). Majorities also identify as middle class (68%), religious (58%), Second Amendment advocates (58%), country people (56%), Constitutionalists (52%), environmentalists (51%) and beach people (51%).

By comparison, identities associated with ideological movements or political brands are embraced by substantially fewer North Carolinians. Only about one-third identify with MAGA (34%) or democratic socialism (29%), while even fewer identify as libertarian (20%), politically homeless (26%), anti-establishment (32%) or prepper (19%).

Taken together, the findings suggest that the political identities receiving the greatest public attention represent a smaller share of the electorate than the broader identities that unite many North Carolinians.

Republicans, Democrats and Independents have much in common

The report identifies substantial overlap among the state’s partisan groups.

Three of the top identities for Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike are working class, proud North Carolinian, and anti-racist. Middle-class identity also ranks among the most common across all three groups. These shared identities appear despite well-publicized partisan disagreements and suggest a broader common foundation than political discourse often reflects.

An anti-racist identity ranks among the ten most common choices for Republicans (66%), Independents (75%) and Democrats (80%). Likewise, large majorities across party lines identify as working class and as proud North Carolinians.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to fall into stereotypical thinking about Democrats and Republicans as monolithic and totally distinct from one another. However, we find enough overlap of group identities within North Carolina that suggest people with different political preferences often share many of the same ways of understanding themselves,鈥� Husser said.

Similarly, the way voters in different parties describe themselves also offers potential for common ground. For example, while Democrats are much more likely to consider themselves 鈥渆nvironmentalists鈥� than Republicans (64% to 39%), the related label 鈥渃onservationist鈥� was chosen by 48% of Democrats and 54% of Republicans.

It鈥檚 easy to fall into stereotypical thinking about Democrats and Republicans as monolithic and totally distinct from one another.

– Professor Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

The differences remain meaningful

Where Republicans and Democrats diverge is in the identities associated with organized political movements and cultural priorities.

Republicans are substantially more likely to identify as Second Amendment advocates, religious, MAGA, Constitutionalists, country people, and MAHA supporters. Democrats are more likely to identify as progressives, social justice advocates, feminists, environmentalists, LGBTQ rights advocates, and democratic socialists.

Independents present a different profile. Their most common identities emphasize community and lifestyle rather than partisan ideology, including working class, anti-racist, proud North Carolinian, middle class, Second Amendment advocate, religious, environmentalist and conservationist. Unlike Republicans and Democrats, no overt political movement appears among Independents’ ten most common identities.

Views of government are similarly nuanced

The report finds that North Carolinians resist simple ideological categorization. While six in ten favor a larger government providing more services and 57% support providing more assistance to people in need even if it means higher taxes, only 17% say they trust the federal government to do what is right most or all of the time. At the same time, two-thirds believe the American economic system favors a select few rather than being generally fair.

The report is based on an online survey of 800 North Carolina adults created by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by YouGov between July 23 and July 31, 2026. The survey has a margin of error of 卤4.24%. The full report, topline results and methodology are available at elon.edu/elonpoll.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered through online panels. Between July 23 and July 31, 2026, YouGov interviewed 861 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for registered voters in this survey (adjusted for weights) is +/-4.42%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policymaking through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of the听, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and who conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

Among all those who said they were registered to vote, Cooper is favored by 51% and Whatley is favored by 35%, with 11 percent saying they were undecided or planned to vote for someone else and 3% saying they do not plan to vote.

The survey of 800 North Carolina adults was conducted from July 23-31, 2026, and has a margin of error for likely voters of 5.6%. Ninety-eight percent of poll respondents said they are registered to vote in the state. This is the first 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll to ask voters who they plan to vote for in this year鈥檚 U.S. Senate race. A previous Elon poll in March 2026 found that Cooper had much stronger familiarity and favorability ratings, compared with Whatley, who has never run for office in the state.

In this new poll, 84% of registered voters said they had heard 鈥渁 great deal鈥� (55%) or 鈥渟ome鈥� (29%) about Cooper, who was North Carolina governor from 2017 to 2025 and previously served 16 years as the state鈥檚 attorney general. In comparison, 53% said they had heard 鈥渁 great deal鈥� (17%) or 鈥渟ome鈥� (36%) about Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party. Twenty percent said they had heard nothing at all about Whatley compared with only 5% who had heard nothing at all about Cooper.

鈥淭he North Carolina U.S. Senate race has been shaped from the beginning as a contest between a very well-known Democrat and a relatively unknown Republican,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll. 鈥淲hile Roy Cooper continues to be much more familiar to voters than Michael Whatley, Whatley鈥檚 familiarity among voters has increased meaningfully between March and July. Moreover, among the roughly half of voters who have heard a great deal or some about Whatley, the race becomes very close. This leads me to expect some tightening in polls over the next two months.

Fifty-three percent of registered voters expressed favorable views of Cooper, compared with 36% who had favorable opinions of Whatley.

Cooper is favored by 93% of Democrats. Whatley is preferred by 84% of Republicans. Independents split 49% for Cooper and 22% for Whatley. Third party candidates Shannon Bray (Libertarian) and Michael Dublin (Green) had 1% and 2% support overall, respectively.

Strong interest in the election

Sixty-three percent of registered voters said it is 鈥渁bsolutely certain鈥� they will vote in November and another 20% said it is 鈥渧ery likely鈥� they will cast a ballot.

Despite questions being raised about election integrity and potential foreign interference in U.S. elections, 63% of registered voters said they were 鈥渧ery confident鈥� (27%) or 鈥渟omewhat confident鈥� (36%) that the election process overall will be fair. Twenty-nine percent said they had little or no confidence in there being a fair election process.

Asked how big of a problem voter fraud is in the United States, 37% of registered voters said it is a major problem, with 30% saying voter fraud is a minor problem. Twenty-four percent said it is not a problem at all and 9% said they are unsure.

Registered voters are split on the threat of foreign interference in U.S. elections, with 39% saying it is a major problem, 35% saying it is minor problem and 10% saying it is not a problem at all, with 17% unsure.

Asked specifically about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, 55% said Joe Biden was the winner, while 33% maintained Donald Trump won that election and 12% were unsure.

鈥淲hile a majority of North Carolina voters overall in our sample believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, views of the election are highly polarized,鈥� Husser said. 鈥淣early three-fourths of North Carolina voters who approved of President Trump expressed that Trump actually won the 2020 election.鈥�

Approval ratings and the data center policy issue

President Trump continues to have low approval ratings among North Carolinians, with 54% of poll respondents disapproving of the job he is doing as president and 36% approving 鈥� an 18% gap. Ten percent were unsure about the president鈥檚 job performance. In comparison, in the March 2026 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll, Trump had a 55% disapproval rating and a 35% approval rating 鈥� a 20% gap.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has a 46% job approval rating in this poll, compared with a 43% approval rating last March.

Opposition has grown against technology data centers in the state. Fifty-three percent said they oppose locating data centers in their communities and 20% support data centers, with 27% unsure. In the poll last March, 44% opposed data centers in their communities and 24% supported data centers, with 32% unsure.

鈥淎s local governments in North Carolina have grappled with land use regulations and economic development questions regarding data centers over the last five months, we found that data centers have become more unpopular across major political and demographic divides,鈥� Husser said.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered through online panels. Between July 23 and July 31, 2026, YouGov interviewed 861 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for registered voters in this survey (adjusted for weights) is +/-4.42%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policymaking through the better understanding of residents’ opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of the听, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and who conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

Sixty-eight percent of American adults say they are proud to be American, and 79% agree the United States plays a uniquely important role in world history. At the same time, 69% believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would feel more disappointment than pride about modern American democracy.

The survey of 1,000 adults in the United States, conducted April 30-May 4, 2026, explores how Americans view the nation鈥檚 past, present and future as the country prepares to commemorate its semiquincentennial.

鈥淎s the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans have complex and diverse feelings about America 250,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and a professor of political science and public policy. 鈥淲e found several points of optimism among Americans, including pride in being American and belief that the United States has a uniquely important role to play in world history. At the same time, many Americans expressed significant concern about the health of American democracy today, and the country is split on its outlook over the next 50 years.鈥�

More than half of Americans (52%) say the United States is unsuccessfully living up to its founding ideals, while only 30% say the nation is successfully living up to them. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) rate the overall health of U.S. democracy as only 鈥渇air鈥� or 鈥減oor.鈥�

The survey also found widespread concern about political instability and civic division:

• 68% believe elected officials today are worse than leaders of the past
• 80% say they at least sometimes feel no political party or movement represents their views
• 70% say the country is more turbulent than average compared with other periods in U.S. history
• 64% say they have little or no confidence that U.S. political institutions will make mostly good decisions over the next 50 years
• 68% predict America will become more politically divided by 2076

Americans are also pessimistic about the country鈥檚 long-term future in several key areas. Majorities predict that by 2076 the nation will have less freedom, less economic equality, a lower standard of living, and more pollution. More Americans also believe technology will create more harm than benefit over the next 50 years.

Despite those concerns, the poll found Americans still hold strong connections to the nation鈥檚 democratic ideals and history.

When asked which event best represented American democracy at its highest ideals, respondents most frequently selected the Civil Rights Movement and World War II. Abraham Lincoln was named both the historical figure who best exemplified democratic ideals and the greatest president in U.S. history.

The survey also revealed broad bipartisan resonance for many historic presidential messages when respondents were not told who made the statements. More than three-quarters agreed with quotations from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, while large majorities also agreed with statements from John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Looking toward the nation鈥檚 semiquincentennial celebrations, Americans expressed greater interest in reflection than pageantry. Nearly seven in 10 (68%) said America250 should focus more on reflecting on U.S. history and values than simply celebrating national achievements, and 71% said smaller local events would feel more authentic than large national celebrations.

The survey found Americans entering the anniversary with mixed emotions. The most common feeling was pride, cited by 38%, followed by gratitude at 17%. But 21% said they have no strong feelings, 12% described themselves as conflicted, while others reported disappointment or frustration.

The margin of error for the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll survey is +/- 3.95%.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between April 30 and March 4, 2026, YouGov interviewed 1,077 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 1,000 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-3.95%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

In a survey of 800 North Carolina adults conducted from March 13 to 20, 2026, 70% said they have heard a “great deal” or “some” about Cooper, compared to just 35% who have heard the same amount about his Republican opponent, Michael Whatley.

Whatley, who formerly served as chair of the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party, remains largely unknown to registered voters. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (62%) said they have heard “only a little” (33%) or “nothing” (29%) about him.

When asked about their overall impressions, 48% of registered voters viewed Cooper favorably and 34% unfavorably. For Whatley, 25% of registered voters viewed him favorably, 34% unfavorably and a plurality of 41% hold a neutral opinion.听

Election fairness and administration

Looking ahead to the fall mid-terms, the poll highlights a striking drop in public confidence regarding the integrity of the national vote count. Only 38% of North Carolinians said they believe this year鈥檚 election will produce a fair and accurate count of the votes cast nationwide.

While only 21% explicitly said the count will听not听be fair, a sizable 41% of voters said they are “unsure.” This represents a significant decline in confidence from an Elon Poll conducted in August 2024, when 48% believed the count would be fair and accurate, and 32% were unsure.

Despite this growing uncertainty, North Carolinians fiercely oppose the idea of the federal government taking over election administration. When asked if election administration should remain a state government responsibility or change to a federal responsibility, 63% of residents said it should remain with the states. Only 12% support nationalizing voting processes, while 25% are unsure.

The preference for state-run elections crosses party lines: 79% of Democrats, 56% of Republicans, and 53% of Independents all agreed that state governments should retain primary responsibility for election administration within their borders.

鈥淲hile the U.S. Senate race continues to take shape around a major gap in voter familiarity with the candidates, a broader story emerging from the 2026 election is how North Carolinians view the electoral process itself,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll. 鈥淣orth Carolinians are increasingly anxious and uncertain about whether the national vote count will be fair, even more than they were in the contentious 2024 election. Yet, most voters do not see federal intervention as the solution. Rather, we measured a strong, bipartisan consensus that election administration belongs in the hands of the states.鈥�

Regarding the partisan balance of power, voters currently show a slight preference for Democratic control of Congress. Forty percent of respondents favored Democratic to control of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 elections, compared to 35% who preferred Republican control.

State approval ratings and policy issues

The poll also surveyed North Carolinians on state leadership and several hot-button policy issues:

• Approval Ratings:听Democratic Gov. Josh Stein received a positive job approval rating (43% approve, 27% disapprove). By contrast, the North Carolina General Assembly earns lower marks, with just 21% approving of the legislature’s job performance and 37% disapproving (42% are unsure).
• Data Centers:听As technology infrastructure expands globally, 44% of residents said they would oppose the construction of a large data center in their local community, compared to 24% who would support it and 32% who were unsure.
• Concealed Carry Permits:听The General Assembly has recently considered allowing concealed carry of handguns without a permit. A clear majority of North Carolinians (56%) said they oppose removing the permit requirement, which currently involves a fee, safety training and a background check. Only 30% supported removing the requirement. These numbers reflect slight change from a that found 54% opposed to removing the requirement.
• Healthcare:听A large majority (68%) said they are “very” or “somewhat” concerned that federal government cuts in health care spending might make it harder for them to get the care they need. Furthermore, 47% of respondents grade the U.S. healthcare system with a “D” or “F,” while 30% give it a “C.”
• Economy: Opinions about the North Carolina economy remained virtually unchanged compared with the September 2025 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll, with 29% giving the state鈥檚 economic condition an 鈥淎鈥� or 鈥淏鈥� and 71% giving it a 鈥淐,鈥� 鈥淒鈥� or 鈥淔.鈥�

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between March 13 and March 20, 2026, YouGov interviewed 928 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-4.43%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of the听, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

In a survey conducted by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll, nearly two-thirds of North Carolinians (62%) opposed sending a large number of U.S. ground troops into Iran, with only 16% expressing support. The strong opposition spans political affiliations, including 85% of Democrats, 62% of Independents and a 42% plurality of Republicans. Only 27% of Republicans favored a large troop deployment in Iran, with 31% unsure.

The survey of 800 North Carolina adults was conducted from March 13 to 20, 2026. The poll鈥檚 margin of error is +/-4.43%.

Beyond the prospect of ground troops, a majority of the poll respondents (51%) opposed current U.S. military involvement in Iran overall, compared to 30% who supported it. When asked about President Donald Trump鈥檚 military actions since January 2025, 52% of respondents said he has “gone too far” in using military force abroad, while 32% said he has done about what is necessary.

Looking ahead, 44% of North Carolinians said they expect that Americans will be less safe one year from today as a result of recent military actions in Iran, compared to 29% who said Americans will be more safe. In addition, 58% of North Carolinians said the president should be required to get Congressional approval before taking military actions like those recently seen in Iran and Venezuela.

鈥淣orth Carolinians are showing clear hesitation about further military escalation,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll. 鈥淭he strong opposition to deploying ground troops, coupled with the bipartisan desire for Congressional oversight, signals significant public anxiety about the long-term safety and direction of U.S. involvement abroad.鈥�

Assessing Trump鈥檚 job performance and the administration

President Donald Trump鈥檚 approval rating in the state continues to face a widening gap. In this poll, 35% of North Carolinians approved of the job he is doing as president, while 55% disapproved. In March 2025, the gap was much narrower, with 42% approving and 45% disapproving.

Approval ratings for key administration figures are strongly correlated with perceptions of President Trump. Vice President JD Vance received a 34% approval rating with 45% disapproving. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood at 34% approval and 38% disapproval, while Secretary of Defense (Secretary of War) Pete Hegseth held 30% approval and 46% disapproval ratings.

The U.S. Congress got the worst approval rating among measured institutions, with 64% disapproving of the job Congress is doing, compared with just 11% who approved.

Economic grades and tariff impacts

More than half of North Carolinians (55%) said the national economy has gotten worse since President Trump took office last year, with only 20% saying it has gotten better and 25% saying it has stayed about the same. When asked to assign a letter grade to the national economy, 47% gave a grade of 鈥淒鈥� or 鈥淔,鈥� while just 20% gave an 鈥淎鈥� or 鈥淏.鈥�

Commenting on their own financial situation, 53% said they have experienced a negative impact from the Trump administration鈥檚 tariffs on goods imported from other countries. This represents an increase from September 2025, when 46% reported negative impacts. Only 12% in the latest poll said the tariffs have had a positive impact personally.

Views on ICE and local law enforcement

On immigration enforcement, 52% of respondents held a negative overall impression of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), compared to 33% who viewed the agency positively. Democrats (87%) and Independents (61%) expressed overwhelmingly negative impressions of ICE while 68% of Republicans had a positive impression.

Poll respondents were split on whether state, county and local law enforcement agencies should assist federal ICE officers in enforcing federal immigration laws. In this poll, 41% said local agencies should assist, while 38% said they should not. Support for local assistance has dropped five points since September 2025, when 46% were in favor.

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at:听. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between March 13 and March 20, 2026, YouGov interviewed 928 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

The matched cases were weighted to the sampling frame using propensity scores based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, years of education, and home ownership. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-4.43%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of the听, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.

A majority of survey respondents laid blame for school performance on elected leaders at both the state and local levels, and the poll found that North Carolinians believe schools are underfunded, even while many people express confusion about the way public education is structured.

The poll followed President Donald Trump鈥檚 executive order to 鈥渞eturn authority over education to the State and local communities鈥� and 鈥渆nable parents, teachers and communities to best ensure student success.鈥� On Nov. 18, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans to transfer education programs to six other federal agencies, with K-12 programs moved to the Department of Labor.

To understand public attitudes and knowledge about K-12 education programs in North Carolina, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll partnered with 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education to design a survey on a wide range of educational issues. The poll, conducted for the Elon Poll by YouGov from Nov. 19 to Dec. 1, included 800 adults in the state and has a margin of error of +/- 4.24%.

Views on School Quality in North Carolina

When asked to assign letter grades to K-12 schools, North Carolinians tended to give mediocre marks, with the lowest grades for traditional public schools and a significant share unsure what grades to assign to charter schools, home schools and private schools.

Percent giving schools grades of 鈥淐鈥�, 鈥淒鈥� or 鈥淔鈥�

• Traditional public schools: 50%
• Charter schools: 28%
• Home schools: 27%
• Private schools: 20%

Percent giving schools grades of 鈥淎鈥� or 鈥淏鈥�

• Private schools: 51%
• Charter schools: 41%
• Home schools: 40%
• Traditional public schools: 36%

In assessing public schools in their local area, just under half (48%) of parents/guardians of children under age 18 gave their local schools an 鈥淎鈥� or 鈥淏鈥�, while 44% of those who are not parents/guardians gave an 鈥淎鈥� or 鈥淏鈥� grade.

福利亚洲国产精品 three-quarters of North Carolinians put the most blame for poor-performing public schools in their area on state government and the local school boards. School principals and parents get somewhat less blame and teachers get the least blame:

鈥淎 lot鈥� or 鈥渟ome blame鈥� for poor-performing schools

• State government: 77%
• Local school boards: 77%
• Principals: 67%
• Parents: 64%
• Teachers: 57%

Poll respondents gave low marks to the state鈥檚 top education and political leaders, with 50% saying they do not work well together to improve schools, compared with 35% who said the leaders work well on behalf of schools.

鈥淲e found clear evidence that North Carolinians want to see more effective governance of K-12 schools,鈥� said Jason Husser, director of the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll. 鈥淎 large majority thought state government bears some of the blame when schools underperform.鈥�

Only 26% said public school funding in North Carolina is distributed fairly among counties, with 48% saying funding is distributed unfairly and 26% not sure.

An overwhelming 94% said factors such as poverty, neighborhood safety or family stability are major factors in school underperformance. Beyond those issues, insufficient funding and lack of parental involvement were also ranked as top factors in school underperformance:

Most common factors for school underperformance

• Insufficient funding and resources – 60%
• Lack of parental involvement – 52%
• Weak school management – 38%
• Student challenges outside of school – 30%
• Poorly prepared teachers – 26%
• Political conflict among leaders – 24%
• Technological distractions – 22%
• Broader community or crime problems – 18%

“Sixty percent identified the real problem: insufficient funding,鈥� said Ann Bullock, dean of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education at 福利亚洲国产精品. 鈥淪chools need to be funded at a level to meet the needs of the students in each community. Education needs to be a priority for change to happen.”

Considering concerns about school quality, survey respondents were fairly evenly split about the impact of education on the state鈥檚 economy and business climate. Public education is seen as more of an asset by 29% of North Carolinians, with 26% saying it鈥檚 more of a liability and 22% saying the schools don鈥檛 make much difference.

School Curriculum in North Carolina

North Carolinians have high expectations for student achievement across a wide range of skills. Skills deemed 鈥渧ery important鈥� included writing and composition, and financial literacy and money management (both at 77%), along with human-centered skills (72%) and basic scientific concepts and reasoning (70%). U.S. history and civics was seen as 鈥渧ery important鈥� by 61% of respondents, followed by household management and maintenance at 58% and technical skills like coding and data analysis at 57%.

Regarding artificial intelligence, 59% said high school graduates should understand how AI works as well as its benefits, risks and ethical issues. At the same time, 63% said schools should limit student use of AI tools, such as ChatGPT because of potential problems such as overreliance, bias, misinformation and privacy risks.

“While sixty-three percent want to limit AI tools in schools, 59% want students to understand AI deeply,鈥� Bullock said. 鈥淭he public wants AI education, not AI immersion. Educators should control when and how AI is used and teach the risks before handing over the tools.”

Despite recent news reports that people have less faith in the value of a college degree, 30% of respondents in this survey said a college degree is very valuable and 43% said a degree is somewhat valuable, with only 17% saying a college degree is not valuable.

Knowledge of the K-12 Educational System

Many North Carolinians said they are not sure about the basic structures of the state鈥檚 educational system. Only 40% correctly responded that charter schools are considered public schools in North Carolina, with 34% incorrectly saying charter schools are private and 26% saying they were unsure.

The largest share (36%) of poll respondents said they were unsure whether North Carolina鈥檚 charter schools and private schools that receive public voucher funds are subject to the same testing and reporting requirements as public schools. Charter schools in North Carolina generally mirror traditional public schools in testing and reporting requirements, whereas private schools taking voucher funds face only partial testing rules and less accountability.

Similarly, 28% said they were unsure how public schools in the state are funded, and just over half (52%) knew that local school board members are elected by voters and not appointed positions. As for the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, only 41% knew this is an elected position and 31% said they were unsure about how that office is filled.

鈥淭hough North Carolinians, as a whole, were clear in wanting better schools, they expressed significant confusion about the mechanisms of decisions that influence school performance,鈥� Husser said. 鈥淚 suspect some of that confusion is due to the relatively complicated K-12 educational bureaucracy in North Carolina.鈥�

North Carolinians tended to underestimate how much public K-12 teachers are paid. Compared with the national average teacher salary of $72,030 (Source: National Education Association annual report), North Carolina teachers earn $58,292. However, the average guess by respondents in this survey was that the average North Carolina teacher is paid $42,257 ($16,000 lower than the actual figure). The average entry-level teacher in the state earns $42,542.

A large majority of survey respondents (71%) said public school teachers in North Carolina are paid too little. Just under half (48%) said teachers get a great amount or fair amount of public respect, with 41% saying teachers get not much or no respect. Considering the rewards of teaching, the level of teacher pay and the work environment, 45% said it is likely they would encourage their child or a close family member to become a K-12 teacher in North Carolina, while 40% said they would be unlikely to do so.

Poll respondents strongly endorsed requirements for state-issued teaching licenses and teacher-preparation programs, with 48% saying those standards are extremely important and 29% saying they are very important. A large majority (82%) said they would support a state-funded teacher education program that would allow students to earn a debt-free college degree with intensive teacher training in exchange for working as a K-12 teacher in the state for several years.

鈥淣orth Carolinians value high quality teacher education and three-quarters want to see quality teacher preparation paired with scholarship programs,鈥� Bullock said. 鈥淐urrently, 51% of initially licensed (beginning) teachers are not fully licensed and are seeking alternative routes to licensure. Alternatively licensed teachers are more likely to leave the profession. High quality teacher education programs with scholarships could help fill this gap and put qualified teachers in classrooms.鈥�

Poll Methodology

Access the poll topline and methodology at: www.elon.edu/elonpoll. The survey was developed by the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll and fielded by the international marketing and polling firm YouGov as an online, web-based survey, self-administered with online panels. Between November 19 and December 1, YouGov interviewed 1,164 North Carolina adults aged 18 and older. These respondents were then matched down to a sample of 800 to produce the final dataset.

Throughout this report, the analysis of partisan differences compares the views of Republicans plus those who lean Republican in their voting preference with Democrats plus those who lean Democratic. The margin of error for this poll (adjusted for weights) is +/-4.24%.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll

Established in 2000, the 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll conducts national and North Carolina surveys on issues of importance to voters and residents. Information from these polls is shared with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens鈥� opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by 福利亚洲国产精品 and operates as the neutral, non-biased information resource.

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Poll is a charter member of the听Transparency Initiative, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) in 2014 to educate polling firms on ways to better share how they collect and interpret their information. The Elon Poll鈥檚 voluntary participation in this initiative signifies a willingness to clearly state in its reports how questions were asked, in what order, who funded the poll and then conducted it, and a definition of the population under study, among other details.