Americans want politics off the table at Thanksgiving dinner, survey says

(CN) — Political divides may run deep across the country, but Americans are united in their reluctance to discuss them, according to a new survey that found 61% of voters are hoping to avoid discussing politics at their Thanksgiving celebrations this year.

That trend held strong across party lines, according to the Quinnipiac University poll released Monday, and voters of all ages agreed: 63% of 18- to 34-year-olds wanted to avoid the discussion, as did the majority of voters ages 35 to 49 (58%) and ages 50 to 64 (63%).

As for what's driving the political division, voters in the youngest age group were more likely to blame social media, with 45% of voters younger than 35 saying the platforms were "most responsible," compared to the overall 35% who responded that way.

"When it comes to the source of the angry white noise of discord and division, the segment of the population most connected to it is the age group most critical of it," said Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy. "The fact that the people using social media most frequently know the most about it is not surprising.”

Across all age groups, Democrat voters were most likely to point the finger at politicians, with 39% of those respondents saying political figures were most to blame, followed by social media with 34% of the overall vote. Republicans ranked social media first, with 37% of GOP voters saying it was driving division the most, followed by cable news and political leaders with 28% and 29% respectively.

The changing political field over the last year has not impacted most Americans' attitudes about discussing politics with friends and family. Only 9% of respondents say politics over the last year have changed how they feel for the better, while 59% of respondents agree that the recent political landscape hasn’t swayed how they feel about discussing politics. 

The poll, which was conducted by Quinnipiac University, surveyed 1,574 self-identified registered voters by phone throughout the United States from Nov. 9 and 13. Adult samples were selected using random digit dialing. The overall sample was weighted to match the demographic makeup of the population by region, gender, age, education and race. 

The poll is conducted every year, according to Polling Analyst Tim Malloy, as a barometer for the mood of American families, and Americans in general. Questions are written and selected by three analysts and the Quinnipiac University Poll Director, Doug Schwartz, who has been conducting independent non-partisan polls since 1994.

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