New Poll: 85 Percent of North Dakotans Support State’s Permit Requirement for Carrying Concealed Handguns

BISMARCK, N.D. – Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the North Dakota chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown, today released a new poll conducted by SurveyUSA finding that 85 percent of North Dakotans – including 78 percent of gun owners, 80 percent of Republicans and 90 percent of Democrats – support the state’s permit requirement for carrying a concealed handgun in public. State legislators held a hearing today on House Bill 1169, a bill that would eliminate that requirement.

Like the vast majority of states, North Dakota requires a permit in order to carry a concealed handgun in public. An applicant must have a clean criminal record and undergo safety training in order to receive a permit. House Bill 1169 is a permitless carry bill that would eliminate that requirement, making it easy for people with no safety training and people with histories of violent behavior to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public. More information about the bill is available here.

The poll also found that 68 percent of respondents oppose allowing people to carry loaded guns into elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. More than half of all respondents said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supported allowing guns into kindergarten-to-12th-grade schools, while just 11 percent said they be more likely to vote for such a candidate. House Bill 1310, which would allow people to carry loaded guns in K-12 schools, is also scheduled to be heard in committee today.

The poll results are available here. The survey of 850 North Dakota residents found, among other results:

• 85 percent of respondents, including 78 percent of gun owners, said they suppport or strongly support North Dakota’s permit requirement for carrying concealed handguns in public.
  
• 80 percent of Republicans and 90 percent of Democrats surveyed said they support or strongly support the state’s permit requirement for carrying concealed handguns in public.
  
• 56 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supported removing the current permit requirement. Only 12 percent said they would be more likely to vote for such a candidate.
  
• 68 percent of respondents oppose or strongly oppose allowing people to carry loaded guns in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. And 54 percent said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supported allowing guns in these kindergarten-to-12th-grade schools, while 11 percent said they be more likely to vote for such a candidate.

STATEMENT FROM CATHY LEE, A VOLUNTEER WITH THE NORTH DAKOTA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“These results come as no surprise. North Dakotans have a proud history of responsible gun ownership, and we know that letting people with no permit or safety training carry hidden, loaded handguns in our communities would defy common sense, and that allowing guns in our schools is a dangerous idea that would put the gun lobby’s agenda before our children’s safety.

I hope our representatives take a stand for public safety and reject these dangerous bills.”