54% of Americans Support Permanent Daylight Saving Time, Down From 68% in 2022

Back in 2022, we surveyed Americans right after the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, the bill that would end the twice-a-year clock change and make daylight saving time permanent. Back then, 68% of Americans were on board.

That bill never made it through the House. This week it finally did. 

On July 14, 2026, the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) by a vote of 308-117, sending it to the Senate. 

So we ran the survey again, this time with over 600 U.S. adults, to see if four years of debate changed anyone’s mind.

Key Findings From the 2026 Permanent Daylight Saving Time Survey

• 54% of Americans support making daylight saving time permanent, down from 68% in 2022
• 32% are neutral on the idea, up from 19% in 2022
• Only 14% actively oppose it, holding roughly steady with 2022’s 13%
• The top reason people oppose the bill has nothing to do with sunlight. 55% of opponents say Congress simply shouldn’t be spending time on this
• Despite longer, darker winter mornings, Northeast support for the bill closely matches the national average at 53%.
• Only 42% of Americans think the bill will actually pass the Senate and become law, despite the lopsided 308-117 House vote

Support for Permanent Daylight Saving Time Has Cooled Since 2022. Here’s What Changed.

Survey respondents rated their support for the Sunshine Protection Act on a five-point scale.

• Support the bill – 54%
• Neutral – 32%
• Do not support it – 14%

Americans’ Support for Permanent Daylight Saving Time: 2022 vs. 2026

The clearest change from our 2022 survey is the decline in overall support and the growing neutral middle group. People aren’t turning against permanent daylight saving time. They’re tuning out of the debate entirely.

Supporters Say Ending Clock Changes is Nearly as Important as Having More Evening Sun

Support for the Sunshine Protection Act is not solely about staying lighter out later. 

Among those who support permanent daylight saving time, 60% cited more daylight in the evening. Nearly the same percentage said they support it because they would no longer need to change their clocks twice a year (59%).

Another 56% believe the benefits of using one consistent time throughout the year outweigh the drawbacks.

Top reasons for supporting the Sunshine Protection Act include:

• More daylight in the evening – 60%
• No longer needing to change clocks twice a year – 59%
• Benefits of a consistent year-round time outweigh the drawbacks – 56%
• More daylight for evening errands, commuting, or social activities – 53%
• More time for outdoor activities after work or school – 50%
• Reduce feelings of seasonal depression – 49%
• Fewer disruptions to their sleep schedule – 46%

Late Winter Sunrises Are Not the Main Concern Among Opponents

Permanent daylight saving time would lead to darker winter mornings, particularly in northern states and communities located near the western edge of a time zone.

However, only 24% of those who opposed the bill said winter sunrises would occur too late where they live.

In fact, the most common objection wasn’t related to sunlight at all.

More than half of opponents, 55%, said changing the time system should not be a priority for Congress.

This finding offers a different interpretation of opposition. Some Americans may not strongly prefer the current system or standard time. They simply do not see the issue as urgent enough for Congress to address.

Other reasons for objecting a permanent daylight saving time included:

• Harder to wake up and feel alert during dark mornings – 39%
• Children would wait for buses or travel to school in the dark – 39%
• Disadvantages of darker mornings outweigh the benefits of lighter evenings – 38%
• Early-morning commutes and travel could feel less safe – 31%
• Permanent daylight saving time could negatively affect sleep – 33%
• Prefer to make standard time permanent – 31%
• Prefer to continue changing clocks twice a year – 29%

Overall Support for the Sunshine Protection Act Remains Consistent Across the Country

Does living with longer dark winter mornings change people’s minds? Not really.

This was the question we were most curious about. If the Sunshine Protection Act passes, places like the Northeast would see winter sunrises well after 8 a.m. 

We expected that region to be the most resistant, but the data told a different story.

Support for making daylight saving time permanent, by region:

• South – 58%
• Northeast – 53%
• Midwest – 52%
• West – 47%

The Northeast landed almost exactly on the national average of 54%, despite facing the latest winter sunrises of any region if the bill becomes law.

Only 42% Think the Sunshine Protection Act Will Become Law

Support for permanent daylight saving time is stronger than confidence in the legislation’s future.

We asked how likely people think it is that this legislation actually becomes law.

• 42% think it’s likely to pass the Senate and become law
• 39% are on the fence
• 19% think it’s unlikely

Even with a wide bipartisan House vote behind it, confidence was lukewarm.

Given that the Senate already passed a version of this bill by unanimous consent back in 2022, only to watch it stall in the House for four years, that skepticism tracks. Americans have watched this bill almost become law before.

Survey Methodology
Drive Research surveyed 606 U.S. adults ages 18 and older from July 15 to July 16, 2026, shortly after the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) on July 14, 2026. At a 95% confidence level, a sample of this size carries a margin of error of approximately ±4%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Americans still support making daylight saving time permanent in 2026?
Yes, but less firmly than in 2022. 54% of U.S. adults support the Sunshine Protection Act in 2026, down from 68% in 2022, according to Drive Research’s 2026 Daylight Saving Time Survey.

Has opposition to permanent daylight saving time grown?
Not much. Opposition sits at 14% in 2026, close to the 13% recorded in 2022. The share of undecided or neutral Americans grew instead, from 19% to 32%.

Why do people oppose the Sunshine Protection Act?
The top reason has little to do with sunlight: 55% of opponents say Congress shouldn’t be prioritizing clock legislation at all. Others cite harder to wake up during darker mornings (39%) and school-age children waiting for buses in the dark (39%).

Does region affect support for permanent daylight saving time?
Barely. Support ranges from 47% in the West to 58% in the South. The Northeast, which would see the latest winter sunrises under this bill, supports it at 53%, right in line with the national average.

Do Americans think the Sunshine Protection Act will actually become law?
Only 42% think it’s likely to pass the Senate and be signed into law, even after the House passed it 308-117 on July 14, 2026.

About Drive Research

Drive Research is a global market research company specializing in custom-built, quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Our market research firm takes pride in making organizations more successful by extracting insights from the data we collect to accelerate business strategy.

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