A new poll finds that younger people are less likely to favor the death penalty than older Americans. The Gallup poll found that “less than half of U.S. adults born after 1980—those in the Millennial and Generation Z birth cohorts—favor the death penalty. At the same time, roughly six in ten adults in older generations favor such laws.”
Twenty years ago, there was no significant difference between younger and older Americans on the death penalty. However, this survey determined that, over the last two decades, support for the death penalty among younger people has steadily declined.
The change in attitudes among young people has occurred mostly among Democrats and independents. Death penalty support among Gen Z and Millennial Democrats has dropped 18 points over that period to just 27 percent. Support among independents in the same groups has declined by ten points to 45 percent. The drop among young Republicans was only four percentage points.
Overall, 69 percent of Gen Z and Millennial Republicans back the death penalty, while 82 percent of individuals who are Gen X and older are death penalty proponents.
These statistics are notable in West Virginia where there are more Republican voters, and the legislature is dominated by the GOP with super majorities. Yet, West Virginia does not have the death penalty.
The last execution in the state took place in 1959, when Elmer Bruner was sent to the electric chair for murdering a Huntington woman in her home during a burglary. Six years later, the legislature passed a bill outlawing the death penalty and Governor Hulett Smith signed HB 517 into law.
Every year, at least one legislator will introduce a bill to bring back the death penalty. Last session, Senate President Craig Blair wanted to reinstate the death penalty for the illicit manufacture and wholesale distribution of fentanyl and Senator Mike Stuart proposed bringing back capital punishment for killing a police officer or first responder.
Neither proposal got any significant traction. However, expect more attempts during the upcoming legislative session next year, especially if a more conservative member replaces Blair as the Senate President.
Stuart has already confirmed he will introduce his bill again. Additionally, the constitutional amendment approved by voters prohibiting physician assisted suicide included language specifying that, “Nothing in this section prevents the State from providing capital punishment.”
That provision was added in the Senate to ensure that if lawmakers do try to reinstate the death penalty, opponents could not use the constitutional amendment to challenge its legality.
West Virginia is among 23 states that does not have a death penalty. It may stay that way, since raising the issue would trigger emotional debate in the legislature over myriad issues associated with the state executing prisoners. Even capital punishment supporters in leadership positions may not want to cause that kind of uproar, especially during new Governor Patrick Morrisey’s first session.
However, if this next session is like every other, there will be a bill or bills to bring back the death penalty.