CBS NEWS POLL

For release: Wednesday, March 4, 2015

6:30 pm ET
Race and Voting Rights: 50 Years After Selma
February 26-March 2, 2015

43% of Americans say all or most of the goals of the civil rights movement have been met,
but 54% think only some or none of those aims have been achieved, including 72% of
African Americans.

91% think the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was necessary, including large majorities of whites
and blacks. And 59% of Americans still think the Voting Rights Act is necessary today.

57% of African Americans think blacks are more likely than whites to encounter trouble when
voting, while most whites (73%) think blacks and whites are treated the same.

79% favor states requiring photo ID to vote, but 31% of blacks oppose this, compared to just
15% of whites.

52% of Americans now say race relations in the U.S. are generally good, but only 32% of
black Americans hold that view.

The Civil Rights Movement and the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Fifty years after the Selma to Montgomery marches, Americans see progress, but 54% (including
72% of blacks) think only some or none of the goals of Martin Luther King and the 1960s civil rights
movement have been achieved. 43% think most or all of the goals have been met.
How Many Goals of MLK and the Civil Rights Movement Have Been Achieved?
Total
Whites
Blacks
All/most
43%
45%
27%
Only some
51
49
67
Almost none
3
1
5
The Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965 culminated in the 1965 Voting Rights Act a landmark
piece of legislation that led to the enfranchisement of blacks in the South, who faced multiple
barriers to voting despite the guarantees laid out in the 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S.
Constitution.
Looking back, nine in 10 Americans think the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was necessary, including
overwhelming majorities regardless of race, political affiliation, age, and region of the country.
And most Americans still think the Voting Rights Act is necessary today, though the percentage is
smaller -- 59% think the law is still necessary, while 35% do not.

Yes
No

The 1965 Voting Rights Act

Necessary in 1965
Still necessary today
91%
59%
6
35

But here there are significant differences based on race and political party. 86% of blacks think the
law is still necessary, compared to 55% of whites. And while about eight in 10 Democrats and just
over half of independents think the law is necessary today, most Republicans 52% - do not.
The 1965 Voting Rights Act
Necessary in 1965
Still Necessary Today
Yes
No
Yes
No
91%
6
59% 35

Total
Whites
Blacks

91%
97%

5
3

55%
86%

39
13

Republicans
Democrats
Independents

89%
95%
90%

7
3
7

39%
79%
58%

52
19
36

Northeast
Midwest
South
West

95%
89%
90%
90%

3
4
8
6

65%
57%
56%
61%

32
37
38
33

18-29
30-44
45-64
65+

95%
94%
90%
85%

3
3
8
8

67%
57%
57%
60%

30
37
39
32

In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down part of the Voting Rights Act, overturning the requirement
that states with low voter registration and a history of voter suppression get approval from the
federal government before changing their election and voting laws. Nearly two thirds of Americans
say they dont know enough about the Courts decision to have an opinion on it. 20% agree with this
Supreme Court decision, while fewer 14% - disagree.
Feelings about the 2013 Supreme Court Decision
Overturning Parts of the Voting Rights Act
Total
Reps Dems
Agree
20%
29%
9%
Disagree
14
8
24
Dont know enough
65
62
66

Inds
22%
11
66

Photo IDs
Some states now require voters to show a photo ID in order to vote, and Americans overwhelmingly
support this requirement. 79% think states should require people to show a valid photo ID before
they are permitted to vote. But blacks (31%) are twice as likely as whites (15%) to oppose this.

Yes
No

Should States Require a Valid ID to Vote?

Total
Whites Blacks
Reps Dems Inds
79%
83%
66%
93% 61% 82%
19
15
31
5
36
16

93% of Americans say they personally have a government-issued photo ID, including large
majorities of people of all races, ages, and income levels. Still, 11% of African Americans do not
have photo ID, compared to 5% of whites.

The justification for requiring a photo ID to vote is in order to prevent voter fraud that is, people
voting who are not eligible to vote. Though just 28% think voter fraud happens a lot, another 36%
think it happens some of the time.
Republicans (37%) are twice as likely as Democrats (18%) to think voter fraud happens a lot; nearly
three in four Republicans think it happens at least sometimes.
How Often Does Voter Fraud Occur?
Total
Reps Dems
A lot
28%
37% 18%
Sometimes
36
36
32
Not much
22
17
31
Not at all
9
5
15

Inds
29%
38
19
7

Limiting Early Voting Hours

In recent years, some states and counties have pushed to shorten the voting hours and times
available for people to vote early and absentee. Americans are divided as to the purpose of these
changes. 23% think this is an attempt to cut costs, and 21% think it is an attempt to make it harder
for minorities to vote, while half 49% - dont know enough to say.
There are racial and political differences. While just 16% of whites think these reductions are
attempts to suppress votes, this rises to 49% among blacks. Democrats (37%) are far more likely
than independents (21%) and Republicans (5%) to think these reductions are an attempt to make it
harder for minorities to vote.
Shortening Early Voting Hours in Some States
Is an Attempt to.
Total
Whites Blacks
Reps
Save money
23%
26%
12%
36%
Make it harder for minorities to vote 21
16
49
5
Dont know enough to say
49
52
38
51

Dems
11%
37
50

Inds
23%
21
48

Voting in the U.S. Today

Today, two in three Americans (67%) dont think there is any difference between blacks and whites
when it comes to voting, though 27% think that even today, blacks are more likely to encounter
problems when voting.
There are stark differences by race. While nearly three in four whites think blacks and whites are
treated the same when it comes to voting, 57% of blacks think black Americans have more trouble
voting than white Americans.
Who Is More Likely to Encounter Problems Voting?
Total
Whites
Blacks
White people
3%
3%
2%
Black people
27
21
57
No difference
67
73
39
Most Americans have at least some confidence that their vote will be counted accurately when they
cast their ballots, though whites (57%) are more likely than blacks (42%) to have a lot of confidence.

Confidence that Your Vote Will be Counted Accurately

Total
Whites
Blacks
A lot
53%
57%
42%
Some
26
26
29
Not much/none
16
14
23
Few Americans report that they themselves have ever had trouble voting.

Yes
No

Have You Ever Had Trouble Voting?

Total
Whites
Blacks
8%
7%
12%
88
89
83

Race Relations: How Much Progress Has Been Made?

Three in four Americans think theres been real progress since the 1960s getting rid of racial
discrimination. This number has been fairly consistent in recent years, but is 26 points higher than it
was in 1992.
Real Progress in Getting Rid of Racial Discrimination?
Yes
No

Now
76%
20

6/2014 8/2013
78%
73%
19
20

7/2008
76%
20

2/2000
71%
26

6/1997 12/1996
61%
56%
34
39

5/1992
50%
46

Views on progress differ by race, however. Whites (81%) are far more likely than African Americans
(50%) to think real progress has been made. In addition, the percentage of blacks who think theres
been real progress getting rid of racial discrimination has dropped nine points since June 2014,
before the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

Yes
No

Real Progress in Getting Rid of Racial Discrimination?

Whites
Blacks
Now 6/2014
Now 6/2014
81% 82%
50% 59%
15
16
46
38

Just over half of Americans (52%) say race relations in the U.S. are generally good, up seven points
from last December, shortly after grand juries did not indict police officers in the deaths of Michael
Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York. 38% of Americans now
say race relations are bad.
Race Relations in the U.S.
Good
Bad

Now
52%
38

12/2014
45%
43

8/2014
47%
44

4/2014
55%
33

1/2012
62%
30

4/2009
66%
22

6/1997
38%
52

5/1992
25%
68

However, the rise in more positive attitudes about race relations comes largely from white
Americans. 56% of whites now say race relations are good, up from 47% in December. Blacks
continue to be more critical. Just a third of African Americans think race relations are good (similar
to last December), while most 58% - say they are bad.

Generally good
Generally bad

Race Relations in the U.S.

Whites
Blacks
Now 12/2014
Now 12/2014
56% 47%
32% 34%
35
42
58
54

Americans - both black and white - rate race relations in their own community much more positively
than they rate it in the country as a whole, which has historically been the case. 79% say race
relations in their community are good, including 82% of whites and 63% of blacks.
Looking ahead, opinion is somewhat divided on whether there will ever be an end to racial
discrimination. 50% of Americans think there is real hope of ending racial discrimination in the long
run, but 44% think there will always be a lot of prejudice and discrimination. These views are similar
to what they have been in recent years, but more positive compared to the 1990s and in 2000.
Racial Discrimination in America
Now 3/2014 8/2013
2/2000
12/1996
Will always exist
44% 46%
42%
50%
53%
Real hope of ending it 50
52
52
46
43

5/1992
53%
40

Here too, there are sizable racial differences. 60% of blacks think racial discrimination will always
exist, compared to just 40% of whites.

Will always exist

Real hope of ending it

Racial Discrimination in America

Total
Whites
Blacks
44%
40%
60%
50
54
35

Blacks and Whites: How Integrated Are We?

How much interaction is there between whites and blacks? Eight in 10 whites say just a few or none
of their close friends are black; only 16% say half or almost all of their friends are black. Blacks
themselves are more likely to have white close friends, although 63% have a few or none.
How Many Close Friends are Black/White?
None A few Half
Almost All
Among Whites:
How many close friends are black? 21%

62

14

Among Blacks:
How many close friends are white? 11%

52

27

When asked about the racial make-up of their neighborhood, a majority of whites (78%) say few or
none of the people who live in their immediate area are black. On the other hand, half of African
Americans (51%) say that half or almost all of their neighbors are white.

How Many People Who Live in Your Area Are Black/White.?

None A few Half
Almost All
Among Whites:
How many people in your area are black? 19% 59
17
3
Among Blacks:
How many people in your area are white?

7%

40

31

20

President Lyndon Johnson

President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law in August of 1965. Looking back at
his presidency more generally, Americans view him more positively than negatively. 42% think he
was a very good or good president (including just 1% who say he was one of the greatest), while a
third say he was only fair or a poor president. Still, a quarter doesnt have an opinion.
African Americans are split in their views of President Johnson. Looking at partisan differences,
Democrats are more inclined to view President Johnsons presidency positively, while Republicans
are divided.
Lyndon Johnson as President
Total Whites
Blacks
Reps Dems Inds
One of the greatest
1%
1%
2%
1%
2%
1%
Very good/good
41
43
35
36
52
36
Fair/Poor
33
33
36
40
25
34
Dont know
25
22
28
24
20
29
______________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone February 26- March 2, 2015 among a random sample of 1,207 adults
nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone numbers
were dialed from random samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
Additional interviews were conducted with African Americans, who had previously completed a survey as part
of a random sample, to yield a sample size of 315 African Americans. 759 whites were interviewed.
The combined African American and non-African American samples were weighted separately to match their
groups population characteristics such as gender, age, education, region, marital status and phone use based
on recent U.S. Census estimates. The samples were then combined and weighted to the total U.S. adult
population.
The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The error for subgroups may be higher. The margin of error for the sample of whites is 4 points and 8 points for
African Americans. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release conforms to the
Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL

Race and Voting Rights: 50 Years After Selma
February 26-March 2, 2015
Q1. Do you think race relations in the United States are generally good or generally bad?

Good
Bad
Don't know/no answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total White Black
%
%
%
52
56
32
38
35
58
10
9
10

Dec14c
%
45
43
13

Q2. Do you think race relations in YOUR COMMUNITY are generally good or generally bad?
Good
Bad
Don't know/no answer

79
16

82
14
5

63
29
4

78
17
8

Q3. Some people say that since the 1960s there has been a lot of real progress in getting rid of
racial discrimination against blacks. Others say that there hasn't been much real progress for
blacks over that time. Which do you agree with more? Would you say there's been a lot of real
progress getting rid of racial discrimination or hasn't there been much real progress?
Progress
No real progress
Don't know/no answer

76
20

81
15
4

50
46
4

Jun14c2
78
19
2

Q4. Do you think there will always be a lot of racial prejudice and discrimination in America, or is
there real hope of ending it in the long run?
Always prejudice and discrimination
Real hope
50
None now (vol.)
1
Don't know/no answer

44
54
1
5

40
35
*
5

60
4

Mar14d
46
52
*
1

Q5. Thinking about the goals of Martin Luther King and the 1960's civil rights movement, do you
think that all of their goals have been achieved, most have been achieved, only some have been
achieved, or almost none of their goals have been achieved?
All
Most
Only some
Almost none
Don't know/no answer

6
37
51
3

7
38
49
1
4

2
25
67
5
5

Jun14c2
5
38
52
2
3

Q6. As you may know, the Voting Rights Act was passed in the 1960's to prevent state and local
governments from using rules and procedures which prevented many black people and other
racial minorities from voting. Do you think it was necessary to pass the Voting Rights Act in the

1960s to make sure that blacks and other racial minorities were allowed to vote, or dont you
think that was necessary?

Necessary
Was not necessary
Don't know/no answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total White Black
%
%
%
91
91
97
6
5
3
3
4
1

Q7. Do you think the Voting Rights Act is necessary today to make sure that blacks and other
racial minorities are allowed to vote, or do you think the Voting Rights Act is no longer
necessary?
Necessary today
No longer necessary
Don't know/no answer

59

55
35
6

86
39
6

13
1

Q8. In general, who do you think is more likely to encounter problems when trying to vote
(white people), (black people), or isnt there much difference?
White people
Black people
No difference
Don't know/no answer

27

3
21
67
3

3
57
73
3

2
39
2

Q9. Do you favor or oppose states requiring people to show valid photo identification before they
are permitted to vote?
Favor
Oppose
Don't know/no answer

79

83
19
2

66
15
2

31
4

Q10. In recent years, some state legislatures and officials have shortened the voting hours and
times available for people to vote early or absentee. From what you may have heard, do you
think such efforts are (probably an attempt to save money for states with budget problems), or
(probably an attempt to make it harder for minority and lower income groups to vote), or haven't
you heard enough about this yet to say?
To save money
23
Make it harder to for minorities to vote 21
Havent heard enough to say
49
Don't know/no answer
6

26
16
52
7

12
49
38
2

Q11. In general, how widespread do you think voter fraud is in U.S. elections, such as people
voting who are not eligible to vote? Do you think this happens a lot, sometimes, not much, or not
at all?

A lot
Sometimes
Not much
Not at all
Don't know/no answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total White Black
%
%
%
28
27
31
36
37
33
22
23
23
9
8
9
6
5
5

Q12. The 1965 Voting Rights Act had required states with low voter registration rates and a
history of voter suppression to get approval from the federal government before changing their
election and voting laws. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that this requirement was no
longer necessary. Do you agree or disagree with this Supreme Court decision, or dont you know
enough to say?
Agree
Disagree
Don't know enough to say
Don't know/no answer

20
14

23
13
65
1

9
21
62
1

69
1

Q13. When you vote in elections, how much confidence do you have that your vote will be
counted accurately--a lot, some, not much, or no confidence your vote will be counted
accurately?
A lot
Some
Not much
No confidence
Don't know/no answer

53
26
9

57
26
8
7
5

42
29
16
6
3

7
6

Q14. Thinking about times when you have voted or tried to vote in the past, have you ever
encountered any problems while trying to vote, or not?
Yes
No
Don't know/No answer

8
88

7
89
4

12
83
3

Q15. Looking back, would you say Lyndon Johnson was one of America's greatest presidents, a
very good president, a good president, only a fair president, or a poor president?

One of the greatest

Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know/no answer

1
8
33
24
9

1
9
34
24
9
25

2
6
29
29
7
22

28

Mar14d
%
3
10
34
26
7
19

Q16. Do you currently have government-issued photo identification such as a driver's license or
U.S. passport, or not?

Yes
No
Don't know/No answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total White Black
%
%
%
93
94
89
7
5
11
*
1
1

Q17. About how many of the people who live in the immediate area around your home are
black--none, a few, about half, or almost all?

None
A few
About half
Almost all
Don't know/no answer

16
55
20
7

19
59
17
3
3

4
30
33
30
2

Apr09b
%
17
54
20
8
2

Q18. About how many of the people who live in the immediate area around your home are
white--none, a few, about half, or almost all?
None
A few
About half
Almost all
Don't know/no answer

3
15
31
49

2
9
29
59
2

7
40
31
20
2

Q19. About how many of your close friends are black --none, a few, about half, or almost all?
None
A few
About half
Almost all
Don't know/no answer

18
56
17
8

21
62
14
2
1

1
26
24
49
1

Q20. About how many of your close friends are white --none, a few, about half, or almost all?
None
A few
About half
Almost all
Don't know/no answer

5
22
22
49

3
12
21
63
1

11
52
27
9
1

Total Respondents
Whites
Blacks

Unweighted
1,207
759
315

Weighted

Margin of error
3pts

870
145

4pts
8pts