Environmental Polling Roundup – October 2, 2026
Headlines
CNN – Americans across the political spectrum say that data centers and AI will be important to their vote this year; Democrats have much more intense feelings about data centers than Republicans do [Article, Topline]
University of Maryland + Voice of the People – Bipartisan majorities of Americans agree that the country should incentivize clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the public is split over new oil and gas drilling [Website, Topline]
Key Takeaways
The idea of the AI industry “regulating itself” is a non-starter for Americans of every political affiliation. As Trump promoted “self-regulation” of the AI industry following a summit with industry leaders this week, Americans continue to say that the federal government should take a much more active role in regulating AI and data centers.
CNN finds that 71% of Americans–including majorities of Democrats (85%), independents (67%), and Republicans (63%)–agree that the federal government is not doing enough to regulate the growth and development of AI technology. The survey further finds that large majorities of Americans across party lines also say that they are concerned about the growth of data centers to support AI technology, as Americans of all demographics and political affiliations are taking increasingly negative views of data centers and their impacts on energy costs and the environment.
Data centers continue to stand out in polling as one of the rare topics on which Trump hasn’t either catered to his base or been able to drag them in line with his position. As long as this wedge persists, it creates a valuable opportunity for environmental advocates to bring together politically diverse coalitions in the fights over data center siting and policy.
Americans still overwhelmingly back clean energy, but remain divided on what to do with fossil fuels. Newly released polling by the University of Maryland and Voice of the People illuminates the major partisan dynamics in Americans’ energy preferences.
On the one hand, they find that majorities of Democrats and Republicans both support incentives for domestic clean energy production. Other polls have similarly found that, while the bipartisan consensus on clean energy has taken a hit in recent years, clean energy remains broadly popular.
When it comes to new oil and gas drilling, meanwhile, the survey finds that Democrats and Republicans are more at odds. While Republicans are inclined to support new drilling for oil and gas offshore and on public lands, Democrats would prefer to curtail it.
These findings are often reflected in message testing on the energy transition, as messages tend to be much more persuasive when they focus on what will be gained by expanding clean energy (e.g., cleaner air and savings on energy bills) and avoid language that pits different energy sources against each other. Republican audiences in particular are not resistant to the idea of building more clean energy, but are increasingly hostile toward the idea of prioritizing clean energy over fossil fuels.
Full Roundup
CNN – Americans across the political spectrum say that data centers and AI will be important to their vote this year; Democrats have much more intense feelings about data centers than Republicans do [Article, Topline]
Americans remain deeply pessimistic about AI and want the government to do more to regulate it. CNN finds that only one-quarter of Americans (25%) describe their feelings about AI technology as “closer to hope and excitement,” compared to three-quarters who say that they feel “closer to fear and concern” (75%).
Additionally, seven in ten Americans (71%)–including majorities of Democrats (85%), independents (67%), and Republicans (63%)–say that the federal government is not doing enough to regulate the growth and development of AI technology.
The growth of data centers is one of many deep concerns that Americans have about AI development. CNN finds that overwhelming majorities are at least “somewhat” concerned about each of the following aspects of AI technology, including around half who are “very” concerned about each:
- If AI technology were to one day surpass human intelligence – 88% concerned, 56% “very”
- The growing number of data centers being constructed to support AI technology – 87% concerned, 50% “very” concerned
- That AI technology is developing at a rapid pace – 82% concerned, 49% “very” concerned
- That AI technology may fundamentally change our way of life – 81% concerned, 45% “very”
Democrats feel more strongly about AI and data centers than Republicans do. Most Americans (64%) say that data centers and AI will be “extremely” or “very” important to their vote for Congress this year, including majorities of Democrats (72%) and Republicans (57%).
However, Democrats are much more likely to describe AI and data centers as “extremely” important to their vote (45%) than Republicans are (24%).
Additionally, while large majorities of Democrats (92%) and Republicans (80%) both say that they are at least “somewhat” concerned about the growth of data centers, Democrats (61% “very” concerned) are significantly more likely to express strong concern about data centers than Republicans are (36% “very” concerned).
University of Maryland + Voice of the People – Bipartisan majorities of Americans agree that the country should incentivize clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the public is split over new oil and gas drilling [Website, Topline]
Bipartisan majorities support specific climate-friendly policies. In these newly released results from February, Voice of the People and the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation find broad agreement on a variety of specific policy actions to combat pollution and climate change:
- 84% of Americans (including 79% of Republicans) favor tax credits for improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings
- 82% of Americans (including 75% of Republicans) favor the U.S. making a commitment, together with other countries, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
- 80% of Americans (including 72% of Republicans) favor adopting a goal of reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2% a year
- 77% of Americans (including 71% of Republicans) favor tax credits for the production of energy that has no carbon emissions
- 76% of Americans (including 67% of Republicans) favor requiring electric companies to get a minimum portion of their electricity from energy sources that do not produce greenhouse gases, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear
These results reaffirm that, while partisans remain far apart in their prioritization of climate change, specific climate-friendly actions still attract broad and bipartisan support. Yale and GMU have found similar results in their long-running “Climate Change in the American Mind” study, with Democratic and Republican voters both supporting concrete measures to curb pollution and expand clean energy.
Americans are split over new oil and gas drilling. The University of Maryland / Voice of the People survey also highlights one of the key tensions in the politics of climate change that has made it such a polarized issue: while Democrats and Republicans agree on many steps to address the problem, Republicans are very reluctant to curtail domestic fossil fuel production.
The survey finds that three in ten Americans (30%) want to increase the amount of offshore drilling in the U.S., while 49% want to keep it about the same and 21% want to reduce it. And while Republicans are far more likely to say that offshore drilling should be increased than decreased (47% increase / 45% keep the same / 8% reduce), Democrats tilt in the opposite direction (19% increase / 50% keep the same / 32% reduce).
Americans are also divided on the idea of opening up federal lands that are currently dedicated to wildlife preservation for oil and gas production (49% favor / 50% oppose), as Republicans support the idea by a wide margin (62% support / 37% oppose) while majorities of Democrats (40% favor / 59% oppose) and independents (39% favor / 60% oppose) oppose it.