OREM, Utah — While many might assume Utah is less politically polarized than the rest of the country, a new study by UVU’s Center for Constitutional Studies shows that political animosity in Utah is as strong as in the rest of the country.

The study did show some anecdotal evidence that partisan animosity in Utah was lower than the rest of the U.S. when respondents mentioned the “Utah Way,” meaning the times when Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature and senate worked together to pass legislation. However, there were not enough mentions of the “Utah Way” to be statistically significant.

Researchers found that Utah Republicans and Democrats increasingly see members of opposing parties as mean, selfish, and hypocritical as well as less open-minded, honest, and intelligent. The study highlights how partisan animosity negatively affects peoples’ understanding of opposing political views and the value of political compromise, which was seen by many as selling out one’s principles.

“The research shows how this divide has caused Utahns to be mixed in their support of basic democratic norms,” said Jay DeSart, UVU’s History and Political Science department chair. “While a majority support freedom of speech and the right of peaceful protest, other principles appeared to be more tenuous, such as the rule of law and the necessity of elected leaders to work within normal limits of rules and procedures.”

The national sample showed that one out of five Americans thought military rule was a good idea, with one out of eight Utahns feeling the same way. A fourth of Utah respondents, compared to 37% of Americans, agreed that it would be good for the country to have “a strong leader who does not have to bother with Congress and elections.”

Additionally, the survey shows that 40% of Utahns and 50% of Americans agree or strongly agree with the following statement: “When the country is in great danger, it is often necessary for political leaders to act boldly, even if this means overstepping the usual process of government decision-making.”

Some good news — 86% of Utahns believe more strongly in constitutional checks and balances compared to the rest of the country at 75.8%, but their resolve weakens if bending the rules could speed up the political process. Twenty-three percent of Utahns and 30% of Americans believe that a “strong leader in government is good for the United States even if the leader bends the rules to get things done.”

“While encouraging that Utahns are less inclined than the rest of the country to support extraconstitutional means for accomplishing the work of the people, [these results are] still of great concern,” said Dr. Robert Burton, director of UVU’s Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative. “An elected official could use it as justification to overstep the authority granted them by the people.”

While the results suggest that support for constitutional government and the rule of law is strong in Utah, a significant minority seemed to be open to some form of dictatorship, whether civilian or military.

“These findings press home the importance of constitutionally grounded education and the cultivation of civic virtue among Utahns,” said Dr. Matthew Brogdon, senior director of the Center for Constitutional Studies at UVU.

“In George Washington’s 1796 farewell address, he warned about indulging the spirit of party at the expense of our liberties,” added Brogdon. “When Americans, and especially Utahns, are inclined to lay aside constitutional protections in support of their own partisan aims, the cause of republican self-government suffers. This demonstrates an urgent need to increase constitutional literacy among ordinary citizens, as well as those in power, to sustain our constitutional republic.”

The survey reached more than 5,000 total U.S. residents that included 1,000 Utah residents and was controlled for gender, age, race, and education level. It is part of UVU’s new Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative, which the Utah Legislature funded in 2021. The Initiative aims to help citizens understand the U.S. constitutional system better and foster civility.

The research was conducted by the Center and Jay DeSart, the school's History and Political Science department chair.

For more information, see Survey Summary and Full Report.

 

About the Center for Constitutional Studies

Established in 2011, the UVU Center for Constitutional Studies (CCS), a nonpartisan academic institute, promotes the instruction, study, and research of constitutionalism. The Center engages students, scholars, educators, leaders, and the public on constitutional issues where political thought, public policy, religion, law, history, education, and economics intersect. The Center prepares citizens with the broad understanding of thought and practices critical to the perpetuation of constitutional government, ordered liberty, and the rule of law.