A new Gallup poll reveals strong support for voter ID requirements and proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
The poll, conducted in early October and released on October 24, indicates that 84 percent of U.S. adults favor requiring photo identification to vote, a slight increase from the support recorded in 2016 and 2022. Additionally, 83 percent of respondents support requiring proof of citizenship upon first-time voter registration—marking the first time Gallup has polled this specific question.
The poll shows a notable partisan divide on election security and voting access policies. While nearly unanimous support for voter ID exists among Republicans (98 percent), support among Democrats sits at 67 percent, with independents closely mirroring the national average at 84 percent. The pattern is similar for citizenship verification, which sees 96 percent support from Republicans, 66 percent from Democrats, and 84 percent from independents.
Division on Other Voting Policies
The poll also reveals partisan differences on additional voting-related policies. For instance, early voting has broad support from Americans (76 percent), with Democrats overwhelmingly in favor (95 percent) and Republicans showing more moderate support (57 percent). Similarly, 60 percent of Americans favor automatic voter registration, a policy more popular among Democrats (79 percent) than Republicans (43 percent).
Absentee ballot access also reflects partisan divisions: 60 percent of Americans support sending absentee ballot applications to eligible voters, but while 87 percent of Democrats approve, only 36 percent of Republicans agree, citing potential fraud risks.
Broader Context of Election Integrity
While certain election security policies are popular across party lines, some measures face opposition from a majority of Americans. For example, 64 percent oppose removing inactive voters from rolls if they haven’t voted in five years. Fifty-eight percent oppose limiting the number of drop boxes for absentee ballots—two measures that Republicans tend to favor for curbing fraud risks, yet are viewed by some Democrats as suppressing voter turnout.
Efforts to pass stricter requirements, such as proof of citizenship, continue in Congress. A Republican-led bill for citizenship verification passed by the House earlier this year but has yet to reach the Senate for a vote.