For the first time since 1999, Gallup has surveyed Americans to gauge their opinions about daylight savings time. The poll, conducted between January 21 and 27, found only 40% favor daylight savings time, a 23% decline from 1999. In 1937, the first time the question was asked, the country was split over the issue, with 51% in favor.

There are demographic disparities in support for the practice that was introduced near the end of World War I to conserve energy costs by extending daylight hours.

Those over the age of 45 support it slightly more (41%) than their 18-44 counterparts (39%). At 44%, Democrats favor the longer daylight hours more than Republicans (34%). Among college graduates, 37% support it, with 42% of non-college-graduates in favor.

Income, however, is the most decisive indicator of Americans’ feelings about daylight savings time. Only about a third of high-income (33%) and middle-income (35%) earners support it, with over half (53%) of low-income Americans favoring it.

When the twice-yearly time changes occur, state and federal levels are often pressured to remove daylight savings time in favor of year-round standard time. A 2022 CBS poll found that Southern and Western states tend to prefer year-round daylight savings time, while Northern states are more likely to want a year-round standard time.

More information on the Gallup poll can be found here.