Vanderbilt University released the results of its Twelfth Vanderbilt University Poll, Friday to provide a non-partisan and scientifically based reading of public opinion in Tennessee.
Between November 11-23, more than a thousand randomly selected Tennessee registered voters were polled on a variety of topics including a gas tax, religious freedom, same-sex marriage, gun policy, and Insure Tennessee.
"One thing that our poll does I think is it shows the people who may be writing letters or kind of banging down the legislators' doors aren’t necessarily reflective of the larger population of Tennesseans,” said Joshua Clinton, with Vanderbilt University.
One of the hot topics in Tennessee surrounded gun laws and policies. The poll found the majority of Tennesseans don't want the laws to change. They were asked if laws in Tennessee should be changed to make it easier or harder to buy a gun. Fifty-four percent said they wanted it to stay the same, 40% said make it harder while only 5% polled wanted to make it easier.
Looking at the numbers by party group showed it was a topic split by party lines. "So democrats want to have slightly more gun regulations, where as members of the republican and tea party think it ought to stay the same and even independents are more likely to say it should stay the same rather it be harder," Clinton said.
Vanderbilt University gave the poll results to citizens, policy-makers and scholars. For the entire results click here.
