O-SenseMost Idahoans don’t want to eliminate concealed carry permits for handguns, they like the death penalty for the most serious crimes of murder and kidnapping and if there is to be an execution, they want lethal injection used, a new Idaho Politics Weekly poll shows.
A number of western and southern states – which tend to have the most lenient gun control laws – have been considering doing away with concealed carry permits, and just let any otherwise qualified adult carry a handgun, concealed or not.
But Idahoans aren’t ready to go there yet, finds pollster Dan Jones & Associates in a new survey.
Jones finds that 62 percent of Idahoans don’t want to do away with concealed carry permits, with 34 percent do and 4 percent didn’t know.
Jones surveyed 606 adults between March 20-26, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.98 percent.
Currently, a person must have a concealed weapons permit to carry concealed. You get your permit from the local county sheriff, and it costs $20, with a five-year $15 renewal fee.
Republicans, Democrats and political independents all say don’t do away with concealed carry permits.
Republicans say keep the permits, 60-35 percent with 5 percent don’t know; Democrats, 73-26 percent with 1 percent don’t know; and independents say keep the permits, 63-32 percent with 5 percent don’t know.
Jones also finds that 77 percent of Idahoans want to keep the death penalty. Currently, there is the death penalty for first degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and for lying under oath that results in the execution of another person.
There are 11 people on death row in the state, the last person executed in 2012 by lethal injection.
Only 19 percent of Idahoans want the death penalty done away with, found Jones, with 3 percent don’t know.
Even most Idaho Democrats favor the death penalty, 52-42 percent; Republicans want it, 84-12 percent and political independents favor it, 81-17 percent.
The death penalty is a religious issue in some faiths.
But all groups of faiths in Idaho favor it, finds Jones.
Active Mormons, 85-10 percent; somewhat active Mormons, 77-17 percent; inactive Mormons, 87-14 percent; Catholics, 69-28 percent; Protestants, 80-18 percent; and those with no faith favor the death penalty, 73-26 percent.
For those who told Jones they favor the death penalty, most like the current form of execution, lethal injection.
Jones found lethal injection is supported by 58 percent; firing squad, 20 percent; electric chair, 7 percent; hanging, 6 percent; and don’t know, 10 percent.
In its 2015 legislative session, in neighboring Utah lawmakers passed a law that provides for a backup execution method of firing squad if the state can’t obtain the proper drugs to execute a person with lethal injection.
The issue made national news.
Idaho has no backup execution method if lethal injection can’t be used due to lack of proper drugs.
