More than 8 out of 10 people support disarming domestic abusers.
WAVE has supporters across Wisconsin

Every year in Wisconsin, over 650 children and adults are killed with guns, leaving families and communities devastated.1 Strong research and compelling evidence prove that we can prevent these tragedies.

The nearly 70,000 WAVE Ed Fund supporters shown on this map urge elected officials to put the safety of our families and communities first and take action to prevent gun violence.

Wisconsinites, like most Americans, support stronger gun laws

The gun industry pushes a narrative that gun violence prevention is a partisan issue. In reality, it’s one of the few things that unites many Wisconsinites and Americans across political lines. The vast majority of voters agree that gun violence is a pressing issue and that stronger gun laws would make our communities and homes safer.

Requiring Background Checks for Every Gun Sale

A Spectrum News poll from September 2022 shows that 87% of Wisconsinites favor background checks on all gun sales.2 This means that, in Wisconsin, background checks are more popular than beer or cheese.3 Wisconsin is not unique in its support for background checks: A June 2022 poll by Quinnipiac University revealed that 92 percent of Americans support background checks for all buyers, calling this number “near unanimous.”4

Two donut charts show Republican support vs. Democratic support. The first chart shows Republicans. 83% of Wisconsin Republicans support universal background checks, 15% oppose, and 2% don't know. The second donut chart represents Wisconsin Democrats. 98% support universal background checks; 2% oppose them.
A donut chart shows that 83% of gun owning households support an extreme risk law, while only 17% oppose an extreme risk law.

Extreme Risk Laws

Polls show that support for an extreme risk law is also extremely high.

  • A Marquette Law School poll from May 2023 shows that 85% of Americans want extreme risk laws, including 83% of gun-owning households.5
  • Wisconsinites are no different; 81% support an extreme risk law.6

Arming School Staff

  • Most Americans do not favor arming teachers and school administrators, even if the law requires training.7
  • Only 20% of educators believe schools would be safer if teachers carried guns.8

Disarming Domestic Abusers

  • 81% of people in the U.S. support temporarily removing guns from someone subject to a domestic violence restraining order.
  • Over 79% of gun owners polled support this policy, as well as 76% of Republicans.9
More than 8 out of 10 people support disarming domestic abusers.

Reducing Gun Violence

  • In an AP/NORC national poll conducted in August of 2023, 78% of respondents said reducing gun violence is extremely or very important.10
  • 85% of Americans say it’s extremely or very important to them to prevent mass shootings. This includes 81% of Republicans.11

1“Gun Violence in Wisconsin.” Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, May 2023.
2Tomei, Savanna. “Exclusive Spectrum News/Siena College Poll: Wisconsinites Agree on Universal Background Checks.” Spectrum News 1, 22 Sept. 2022.
3Milewski, Todd. “The Results Are in: Wisconsin Loves Cheese, Aaron Rodgers and Beer – in That Order.” The Cap Times, 18 Mar. 2015, captimes.com/news/local/writers/todd-milewski/the-results-are-in-wisconsin-loves-cheese-aaron-rodgers-and-beer-in-that-order/article_4012c3bb-d466-5829-853e-27a568c1771a.html.
4Malloy, Tim, and Doug Schwartz. Nearly 3 out of 4 Support Raising Legal Age to Buy Any Gun, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Support For Assault Weapons Ban Hits a Low. Quinnipiac University Poll, 8 June 2022, https://poll.qu.edu/images/polling/us/us06082022_ughd88.pdf.
5Franklin, Charles. Marquette University Law School Poll. 24 May, 2023. Web.
6Franklin, Charles. Marquette University Law School Poll. 22 June, 2022. Web.
7“The August 2023 AP-NORC Center Poll.” Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Aug. 2023.
8Jackson, Brian A., et al. “What Do Teachers Think about Carrying Guns to School?” RAND Corporation, 31 May 2023, www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2641-1.html.
9“Americans Agree on Effective Gun Policy More than We’re Led to Believe.” Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2023, publichealth.jhu.edu/departments/health-policy-and-management/research-and-practice/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/research-to-advocacy/americans-agree-on-effective-gun-policy-more-than-were-led-to-believe.
10“The August 2023 AP-NORC Center Poll.” Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Aug. 2023.
11Ibid.