New Pre-Election Polling in Minnesota Finds That Gun Safety is a Winning Issue in Key Races Across the State, Where Everytown Spent Nearly $1.3 Million

New Poll Found That Gun Safety Messaging Deployed by Everytown Has Been Highly Persuasive and that the Majority of Minnesota Voters Support Stronger Gun Laws and Say a Candidate’s Position on Gun Policy is Important in Deciding Who to Vote For

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Action Fund Invested Nearly $1.3 Million in Minnesota This Cycle, Targeting Key State Senate Races to Flip the Minnesota Senate to a Gun Sense Majority

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers Have Made Nearly 61,000 Calls And Texts to Support Gun Sense Candidates in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Victory Fund (“Everytown”) unveiled new polling of Minnesota voters, which found, just days before Election Day, that 83% of likely Minnesota voters — including 87% of suburban women — say a candidate’s position on gun policy is important in deciding who to vote for. The survey also found that gun safety-themed messaging, deployed by Everytown in its paid advertising campaigns in Minnesota, has been highly effective at impacting Minnesota voters.

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Action Fund have invested nearly $1.3 million in Minnesota this cycle in order to elect gun sense champions up and down the ballot, and flip the Minnesota Senate to a gun sense majority.

“Gun safety is an issue that touches voters on a personal level, and it can cut through the Trump-created chaos and shape their choices at the ballot box,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “This newest polling gives us a hint of what’s already happening at the polls: Minnesota voters turning out in force to reject lawmakers who have blocked progress for so long.”

“Once again the data shows that gun safety is a triple threat – it mobilizes, persuades, and has become a litmus test issue for voters across battleground states,” said Charlie Kelly, senior political advisor for Everytown for Gun Safety. “Our messaging this cycle is effective because people are tired of inaction on gun violence and politicians in the pocket of the gun lobby.”

“The numbers speak for themselves – Minnesota Moms Demand Action volunteers have been working tirelessly to get out the vote for gun sense candidates up and down this election,” said Jessica DeWeerth, volunteer with the Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Opponents of gun safety in the state Senate are no match for the moms, dads, gun violence survivors, gun owners, Democrats, Republicans alike who are sick and tired of inaction on gun violence.” 

The poll, conducted by Schoen Cooperman Research, surveyed 475 Minnesota voters. Results from the poll include:

• Messaging deployed by Everytown is highly persuasive and effectively improves the horserace for Democrats in races up and down the ballot.
• 83% of likely Minnesota voters — including 87% of suburban women — say a candidate’s position on gun policy is important in deciding who to vote for;
• 55% of Minnesota voters — including 61% of suburban women — believe the need for background checks on all gun sales is more important now, during the pandemic, than a year ago; 
• 61% of suburban women and 64% of all likely voters say that an endorsement by the NRA makes no difference to their vote or makes them less likely to vote for a candidate who is endorsed by the NRA. 

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund and Action Fund spent nearly $1.3 million in Minnesota during this election cycle to elect a gun sense majority in the Minnesota State Senate:

• Everytown spent more than $1.2 million to flip the Minnesota state Senate to a gun sense majority. As part of this effort, Everytown targeted five state Senate districts (SD-14, SD-25, SD-26, SD-34, SD-39) with candidate-specific digital and direct mail campaigns. 
• By Election Day, Everytown’s digital ads will have been seen an estimated 20.7 million times, and its direct mail will have reached 146,430 households.

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers have also made nearly 61,000 calls and texts to Minnesota voters to support gun sense candidates across the state.