ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos October 2026 Poll
Washington, D.C., October 15, 2026 – While 52% of Americans support the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, four in five (80%) say the execution should not be livestreamed online for the American public to watch, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll.
Click here to see the study topline.
About the Study
This poll was jointly sponsored and funded by The Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos. The poll includes a random sample of 2,545 U.S. adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish.
The questionnaire was administered with the exact questions in the exact order as they appear in this document. Demographic questions are not shown. If a question was asked of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question identifies the group asked. Phrases surrounded by parentheticals within questions indicate clauses that were randomly rotated for respondents.
Ipsos conducted sampling, interviewing and tabulation for the survey using the KnowledgePanel, a nationwide survey panel designed to be representative of the U.S. adult population. KnowledgePanel members are recruited through probability sampling methods using address-based sampling. Panel members who do not have internet access are provided with a tablet and internet service. KnowledgePanel members receive a per survey incentive, usually the equivalent of $1 (though for some it is $2) in points that can be redeemed for cash or prizes.
In this poll, invitations were sent to 3,861 panelists, resulting in 2,545 completed interviews. In quality control, 78 respondents were removed for skipping half or more of the questions for which they were eligible or for completing the survey among the fastest 1 percent of interviews.
Ipsos used probability-proportional-to-size sampling to draw a national sample of adults using the KnowledgePanel matching U.S. population benchmarks. This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for deviations in the survey sample from known population characteristics, which helps correct for differential survey participation and random variation in samples.
The following table shows unweighted, weighted and benchmark values for weighting variables:
| Unweighted | Weighted | Benchmark | |
| Age by sex | % | % | % |
| 18-29, Male | 8.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 |
| 18-29, Female | 7.6 | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| 30-44, Male | 12.7 | 12.5 | 12.5 |
| 30-44, Female | 11.2 | 12.9 | 12.9 |
| 45-59, Male | 11.5 | 10.7 | 10.7 |
| 45-59, Female | 10.8 | 11.5 | 11.5 |
| 60+, Male | 17.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 |
| 60+, Female | 20.1 | 17.3 | 17.3 |
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| White/Non-Hispanic | 63.2 | 58.7 | 58.7 |
| Black/Non-Hispanic | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.2 |
| Other or 2+ Races/Non-Hispanic | 11.1 | 11.2 | 11.2 |
| Hispanic | 15.0 | 18.9 | 18.9 |
| Education | |||
| Less than HS | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| HS graduate or equivalent | 27.0 | 28.1 | 28.1 |
| Some college | 25.4 | 26.2 | 26.2 |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.8 | 23.1 | 23.1 |
| Master’s or above | 14.9 | 14.1 | 14.1 |
| Region by metro status | |||
| Northeast, metro | 15.6 | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Northeast, non-metro | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Midwest, metro | 15.9 | 15.5 | 15.5 |
| Midwest, non-metro | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| South, metro | 31.7 | 33.1 | 33.1 |
| South, non-metro | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| West, metro | 20.9 | 21.0 | 21.0 |
| West, non-metro | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Household income | |||
| Under $25,000 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| $25,000-$49,999 | 13.0 | 12.7 | 12.7 |
| $50,000-$74,999 | 13.5 | 13.3 | 13.3 |
| $75,000-$99,999 | 11.7 | 12.2 | 12.2 |
| $100,000-$149,999 | 20.1 | 18.8 | 18.8 |
| $150,000 and over | 33.5 | 34.1 | 34.1 |
| Language dominance | |||
| Not Hispanic | 3.8 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Hispanic - English dominant | 8.3 | 9.8 | 9.8 |
| Hispanic - Bilingual | 2.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Hispanic - Spanish dominant | 85.0 | 81.1 | 81.1 |
| 2024 presidential vote | |||
| Donald Trump | 32.5 | 29.5 | 29.5 |
| Kamala Harris | 31.0 | 28.6 | 28.6 |
| Another candidate | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Did not vote/Refused | 35.6 | 40.9 | 40.9 |
| Among 2024 voters | |||
| Donald Trump | 50.4 | 49.9 | 49.8 |
| Kamala Harris | 48.1 | 48.4 | 48.3 |
| Another candidate | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| Party identification | |||
| Democrat | 30.2 | 28.6 | 28.6 |
| Ind/Other – lean Democrat | 16.7 | 18.7 | 18.7 |
| Refused to lean | 7.3 | 9.8 | 9.8 |
| Ind/Other – lean Republican | 15.5 | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Republican | 30.3 | 27.8 | 27.8 |
Sources:
- Census Bureau Current Population Survey 2026 March Supplement (age by sex, race/ethnicity,
education, region by metro status, household income)
- Census Bureau 2024 American Community Survey (language dominance)
- Associated Press tabulation of certified results (2024 presidential vote)
Political party identification benchmarks are from the 2026 NPORS annual survey, measured at similar points for KnowledgePanel panelists as the benchmarking survey.
All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which is 1.05 for this survey. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s deviation from a simple random sample and takes into account decreases in precision due to sample design and weighting procedures.
ABC News, The Washington Post and Ipsos are charter members of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they produce.
