Takeaways from the Beacon Poll

88%
88% of Tennesseans say there should be a limit on how much property taxes can increase each year, with voter approval required for any increase above that limit. Only 6% disagree.
Taxes
55%
Governor Bill Lee is leaving office with strong support: 55% of voters approve of his job performance, and 39% disapprove (+16).
Politics
65%
Tennesseans prefer capitalism over socialism, 65% to 22%. Even Tennessee Democrats prefer capitalism, 48% to 37%.
Economy
47%
47% say tariffs have affected them negatively, such as through higher prices, compared to just 9% who say positively.
Economy
79%
79% support law enforcement using license plate reader cameras to locate stolen vehicles or missing people, even though more Tennesseans oppose (55%) than support (40%) the cameras in their communities.
Public Safety
78%
Tennesseans are united in support of renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton: 78% support it, including 55% who strongly support it.
Culture

Political & Policy Polling Results: Tennessee

88% of Tennesseans say there should be a limit on how much property taxes can increase each year, with voter approval required for any increase above that limit, while only 6% disagree. And 64% would be more likely to vote for a state legislator who supported a statewide cap (+57).

TAXES

Governor Bill Lee is leaving office with strong support: 55% of voters approve of his job performance and 39% disapprove (+16), little changed from our last poll (55% to 37%).

POLITICS

A majority of Tennesseans (55%) oppose using state tax incentives for a professional sports team stadium, including 31% who strongly oppose it, while 38% support it.

TAXES

Policy Polling Results: Economy

Tennesseans prefer capitalism over socialism, 65% to 22%, and the preference holds even among Tennessee Democrats (48% to 37%).

ECONOMY

Tennesseans remain split on tariffs (47% support, 46% oppose), but far more say tariffs have hurt them than helped them: 47% say tariffs have affected them mostly negatively, mostly through higher prices for everyday goods.

ECONOMY

Policy Polling Results: Public Safety

More Tennesseans oppose (55%) than support (40%) law enforcement using license plate reader cameras in their communities, but support rises sharply for specific uses: 79% support using them to locate stolen vehicles or missing people, and 78% to investigate violent crimes.

PUBLIC SAFETY

70% of Tennesseans support the death penalty for first-degree murder, and 22% oppose it. The recent failed execution attempt did little to shift views: 49% say it didn’t change their view, 21% are more supportive, and 25% are less supportive.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Tennesseans are united in support of renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton, with 78% in support (55% strongly). They are far less united, however, on a favorite Dolly song: “I Will Always Love You” leads with 27%, followed by “Jolene” (22%) and “9 to 5” (17%).

What is Tennesseans’ favorite Dolly Parton song?

Culture
I Will Always Love You
27%
Jolene
22%
9 to 5
17%
Coat of Many Colors
8%
Islands in the Stream
8%
Here You Come Again
5%
Another song
2%
No favorite Dolly Parton song
11%

Methodology

  • Online poll of 1,200 registered voters in Tennessee
  • Only respondents who passed our data quality checks were included in the final results and compensated for participating.
  • Sampling was stratified by demographics and geography.
  • Results were weighted by demographics, party, geography, and behavioral measures to properly reflect the profile of the state.
  • Estimated margin of error: +/- 2.77%
  • Fieldwork: October 24 through November 3, 2026
  • Due to weighting and rounding, percentages may not always total exactly 100%.
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