Support for Death Penalty Slips to 49%
A new Gallup poll shows U.S. support for capital punishment has fallen well below its 1994 peak, as Tennessee pauses executions after a botched lethal injection.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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A Gallup poll of 1,200 U.S. adults conducted in October 2026 found 49% favor the death penalty for convicted murderers, while 45% oppose it. Support has declined sharply from its 80% peak in 1994, and the poll comes as Tennessee paused executions after death row inmate Christa Pike survived a botched lethal injection.
Why it matters
The poll points to a generational and partisan divide over capital punishment, with 57% of 18- to 34-year-olds opposed. The Tennessee pause adds a concrete operational question about how states carry out executions.
Gallup's October 2026 survey of 1,200 U.S. adults found 49% favor and 45% oppose the death penalty, versus an 80% peak in 1994. The poll does not address how the trend will evolve beyond its own projections.
The players
Gallup
Gallup is a longstanding American polling organization known for its regular national surveys on public opinion, including its tracking of death penalty support over several decades.
Christa Pike
Christa Pike is a Tennessee death row inmate whose botched lethal injection prompted the state to pause executions.
The details
Christa Pike survived a botched lethal injection in Tennessee and was sent to a local hospital for life-saving care, after which the state paused executions. The Gallup findings show support is strongest among Republicans at 73% and weakest among Democrats at 28%.
Timeline
1966: Support for the death penalty reached a record low of 42%.
1994: Support peaked at 80%.
October 2026: Gallup conducted its poll of 1,200 U.S. adults.
Before end of 2026: Several executions, including Nidal Hasan's, are scheduled.
Legal Context
Gallup's series traces U.S. death penalty support from its 80% peak in 1994 down toward the 42% low recorded in 1966, and the 2026 reading of 49% continues that long decline. The poll also arrives as several states, including Tennessee, face scrutiny over how executions are carried out.
The Tennessee pause means scheduled executions in the state are on hold while officials review the botched procedure. Readers following capital cases should watch for updates on whether the pause is lifted before the year-end schedule proceeds.
The takeaway
Public support for the death penalty has fallen steeply from its 1994 peak, and the generational gap suggests the decline may continue. Tracking how states handle executions after incidents like Tennessee's botched injection will show whether that opinion shift translates into policy.
What happens next
Several executions, including Nidal Hasan's, are scheduled before the end of 2026.
Further reading
For more on how capital punishment policy is debated, see Criminal Justice coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Axios.
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