2 hours ago - News
Poll: Most Ohio lawmakers oppose the death penalty
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Most Ohio lawmakers say they'd vote to repeal the state's death penalty and don't want to see the next governor resume executions, per a new Gongwer-Werth Legislative Poll.
Why it matters: Capital punishment is a talking point again after outgoing Gov. Mike DeWine declared his opposition to the death penalty.
What they found: Of 55 polled lawmakers, 56% would vote to repeal the death penalty. The same percentage would not like to see executions resume.
- Democrats are nearly unanimously opposed, while Republicans are split.
- Half of Republicans would not vote to repeal and 58% want to see the next governor resume executions.
Zoom in: Legislators were also asked, "What comes closest to your strongest view of capital punishment?" There is no consensus.
- About a third say it's fitting only for "the most heinous crimes," while 31% believe it's "morally wrong to take another life."
- About a quarter of Democrats say "it is applied unfairly across racial and ethnic groups," a stance no Republicans agreed with.
- A total of 15% say the death penalty risks "executing someone who has been wrongly convicted," an opinion shared by 41% of Democrats and just 3% of Republicans.