As part of its emphasis on civic education, the Civitas Institute conducts a regular national survey measuring public opinion about concepts core to the Institute’s mission: basic rights and liberties, democracy, and capitalism in the United States. Civitas Institute faculty fellow Daron Shaw—a nationally recognized expert on political behavior and current co-director of the Fox News Poll and Texas/Texas Tribune Poll— conducted the inaugural Civitas national survey in 2023 and will continue to conduct similar surveys twice yearly for three years.

These surveys provide scholars an opportunity to study public opinion about American civic ideals and how well American political institutions are functioning. Data from the surveys facilitate discussion on campus, drive scholarly inquiry, and raise public awareness.

Along with Dr. Shaw and his team, the Civitas Institute contracted YouGov, a polling firm with a substantial track record in scientifically valid survey research and a special expertise on issues of government and politics. Conducted April 24-May 1, 2023 by YouGov, this Civitas Institute Poll includes interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide. To read the results of this survey, download the PDF below.