What we can trust 2020 election polls to tell us
Polls can’t predict the future. But they are the best tool to reveal the public’s priorities and values, and why people vote the way they do.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Polls can’t predict the future. But they are the best tool to reveal the public’s priorities and values, and why people vote the way they do.
The complexity of the overall system, varying rules on how and when you can vote, and whether the candidate you support wins or loses all impact trust in the election process.
Most U.S. adults say President Joe Biden (65%) and Republican leaders in Congress (61%) will be unsuccessful getting their agendas enacted in the next two years; only about a third say the president and GOP leaders will be successful. Republicans are less confident than Democrats in midterm vote counts – but more confident than they were after the 2020 election.
Amid growing discontent with the state of democracy globally, we asked over 30,000 people what changes would make their democracy work better.
Votes cast on Election Day have grown steadily less significant over the past several election cycles as a share of total votes cast.
Older adults tend to account for large shares of both poll workers and voters in general elections in the United States.
Around two-thirds of adults in Germany, France and the UK say it is important for their national government to make voting compulsory.
South Koreans are headed to the polls April 15 as the COVID-19 pandemic continues; 300 seats in the country’s legislative body are at stake.
We developed this explainer to help people understand how, and why, the complex U.S. electoral process is even more so this time around.
Mail-in ballots accounted for just over half of this year’s primary votes cast in the 37 states (plus D.C.) for which data is available.
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