According to a recent Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab Poll, a plurality of Iowans (45.3%) said they would support a proposed pro-gun amendment to the Iowa Constitution while 28.9% of Iowans answered that they would vote against it. The Iowa legislature passed the proposed state constitutional amendment for a second time in 2021, meaning it could appear on the general election ballot in November 2022. Differences in support for the proposed amendment were found based on respondent party identification and urbanicity.

A recent Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab (IPOL) survey conducted by University of Iowa faculty and students found that Iowans trust school officials and parents more than state or local elected officials to make decisions about banning books in public schools. Opinions on who is best situated to make these decisions varied with a respondent's party affiliation and the importance of religion to them.

A team of IPOLers recently presented their research in a poster session as part of the 79th Annual Midwest Political Science Association Conference. Interested in the BLM’s influence on public opinion, Sam Avery, Marissa Good, and Thomas Dainty have participated in the Black Lives Matter protest research as a spin-off project of IPOL since the summer of 2021 under the guidance of Professor Boehmke.

Congratulations to Alex Hefel on receiving 2022-2023 Laurence Fairall Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to undergraduate and master's professional students who intend to have active careers in journalism.

Congratulations to Caleb Slater on receiving 2022-2023 Teri G. Rasmussen Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate political science major who intends to pursue a career in law.

A recent Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab (IPOL) survey conducted by University of Iowa faculty and students found that a majority of Iowans support multiple racial justice policing and sentencing reforms, but fewer than half of Iowans support increased penalties for protestors and cities.

Congratulations to Marissa Good on receiving 2022-2023 Donald B. Johnson Fellowship. This fellowship is awarded to undergraduate political science majors who are completing their junior years and who show the quality of character and leadership. 

A recent Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab (IPOL) survey conducted by University of Iowa faculty and students found that Iowans’ opinions are split regarding the construction of pipelines that would transport carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to be sequestered underground to reduce greenhouse emissions.

A recent Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab (IPOL) survey conducted by University of Iowa faculty and students found that a majority of Iowans who have heard of critical race theory (CRT) support teaching it in schools. However, the level of support varies based on the respondent's political ideology, religion, and age.

A recent Iowa Policy and Opinion Lab (IPOL) survey conducted by University of Iowa faculty and students found that Iowans are split on whether businesses should be prevented from having mask and vaccine mandates. However, a large majority are in favor of vaccine exemptions for medical and religious reasons. View results and more information about the survey in the documents linked below.