An October 2005 Gallup Poll found that only 64% of Americans favored the death penalty for those convicted of murder. The last time the poll found a lower support was in 1978 when 62% favored the death penalty. The high point for public endorsement of the death penalty came in 1994 when 80% supported capital punishment. This most recent poll result is consistent with Gallup Polls taken in October 2004 and 2003, both registering a 64% support of the death penalty. (See Gallup Poll Document, posted Oct. 26, 2005; subscription required). See Public Opinion.
Citation Guide
- Death Penalty Information Center (2025, March 14). PUBLIC OPINION: Gallup Poll Reports Lowest Death Penalty Support in 27 Years. Retrieved October 2, 2026, from https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/public-opinion-gallup-poll-reports-lowest-death-penalty-support-in-27-years
- Death Penalty Information Center. “PUBLIC OPINION: Gallup Poll Reports Lowest Death Penalty Support in 27 Years.” Last modified March 14, 2025. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/public-opinion-gallup-poll-reports-lowest-death-penalty-support-in-27-years.
- Death Penalty Information Center. “PUBLIC OPINION: Gallup Poll Reports Lowest Death Penalty Support in 27 Years.” Death Penalty Information Center, 14 Mar. 2025, https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/public-opinion-gallup-poll-reports-lowest-death-penalty-support-in-27-years. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
