Voters overwhelmingly want the loser of the election in November, regardless of whether it is Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or Republican nominee Donald Trump, to accept the results and move on, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll published Friday.
Sixty-eight percent of voters agreed that the loser should accept whatever the American people decide in November, compared to 14 percent of voters who reported the loser should be able to challenge the results.
Trump made news Wednesday during the third presidential debate when he refused to say whether or not he would accept the results, the question was not asked of Clinton.
Interestingly, 53 percent of those who identified themselves with the Tea Party movement agreed, saying that once the election is over, the loser should accept the results. Fifty-six percent of those who labeled themselves as “conservatives” also agreed.
Almost a fourth of Trump supporters disagreed, asserting that Trump is allowed to challenge the results of an election.
Voters were split on the issue of voter fraud, with 46 percent who responded that it’s likely or very likely that there is widespread voter fraud. Forty-seven percent said that voter intimidation will play a key factor, with 41 percent reporting that it will stem from voting errors, like voting at the wrong polling place, and 37 percent believe that fraud will come from voting in place of a deceased registered voter.
“With November 8 drawing near and the ‘rigged election’ rhetoric reaching a fever pitch, it will be important to watch Donald Trump’s supporters react when the final results roll in,” co-founder and chief research officer at Morning Consult Kyle Dropp wrote in the accompanying statement.
“While a clear majority of voters say the losing candidate should concede, a quarter of Trump supporters have yet to make up their mind on the matter and another quarter believe the final results should be contested no matter what.”
Clinton led by six points in the head-to-head poll, earning 46 percent compared to Trump’s 40 percent, and 15 percent of likely voters remaining undecided. Clinton still managed a six-point lead in the four-way poll, earning 42 percent. Trump earned 36 percent, and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson earned 9 percent. Green Party candidate Jill Stein came in at a distant fourth with 3 percent.
The poll included 1,598 registered voters, and ran from Oct. 19 through Oct. 20. The poll carried a margin of error of 2 percent in either direction.
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