Poll says two-thirds object to bans on mask mandates
WASHINGTON — Twothirds of Americans oppose state prohibitions on mask mandates, like Gov. Greg Abbott has issued barring Texas schools from requiring face coverings, according to a new Ipsos poll.
There's a major partisan split on the issue, however, with 57 percent of Republicans in support of state rules that ban local governments from issuing mask mandates. Just 16 percent of Democrats support them.
The polling comes as Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have taken to court counties and school districts that have issued mask requirements in public places, including schools.
The Biden administration, meanwhile, continues to pressure Abbott and other Republican governors who have issued similar prohibitions to change course as hospitals fill up with COVID patients — including a growing number of children — as the delta variant spreads.
The poll found 69 percent of Americans support local school districts requiring teachers, students and administrations to wear masks.
That support remained about the same for parents and non-parents.
But the poll also found big partisan gaps on mask requirements in schools. Nearly all Democrats — 92 percent — support them, compared with just 44 percent of Republicans.
The poll found similar gaps in who believes masks work. Most Democrats, 88 percent, believe masks effectively limit the spread of COVID-19. Just 54 percent of Republicans agree.
The online poll of 1,041 Americans was conducted between Aug. 13 and 16 and carried a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.