Stunning 72 Percent of Americans — Even Most Republicans — Support Jailing or Fining People Who Don’t Wear Masks

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An overwhelming majority of Americans support fining or even jailing people who refuse to wear a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, including Republicans and Trump voters.

A new Politico/Morning Consult poll published Wednesday found familiar partisan divisions on a raft of issues related to the coronavirus pandemic, but near-universal support for harshly punishing those who refuse to wear masks.

Respondents were asked “Based on what you know about the COVID-19 pandemic (coronavirus), would you support or oppose your state instituting a face mask mandate in public spaces, where not wearing a mask could be punishable by ܧne or jail time?”

Overall, 72 percent of Americans said they either “strongly” (53%) or “somewhat” (19%) support such measures, with only 21 percent somewhat or strongly opposed. Support was strongest among Democrats at 86 percent, with 68 percent of independents supporting the mandate described, and even 58 percent of Republicans — and 59 percent of Trump voters — expressing a willingness to jail or fine mask-flouters.

In fact, the only subgroup not to express majority support for the idea was the subset of voters who “strongly approve” of the job Trump is doing as president, and even there the result was close, with 46 percent support versus 49 percent opposition.

A poll released earlier this month found that even greater percentages of Americans are wearing coronavirus masks on their own — 84 percent overall, including 78 percent of Trump supporters.

President Donald Trump said in a recent interview that he opposes a national mask mandate because he wants people to “have a certain freedom,” but after months of refusing to be photographed wearing a mask in public and mocking others who took the precaution, Trump tweeted a photo of himself in a mask and said that mask-wearing is “patriotic.”