Democracy

Americans remain deeply divided about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and the ongoing congressional investigation into what happened.

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.

As democratic nations have wrestled with economic, social and geopolitical upheaval in recent years, the future of liberal democracy has come into question. Our international surveys reveal key insights into how citizens think about democratic governance.

Many experts say public online spaces will significantly improve by 2035 if reformers, big technology firms, governments and activists tackle the problems created by misinformation, disinformation and toxic discourse. Others expect continuing troubles as digital tools and forums are used to exploit people’s frailties, stoke their rage and drive them apart.

The U.S. is seen positively in advanced economies for its technology, entertainment, military and universities, but negatively for its health care system, discrimination and the state of its democracy.

Dissatisfaction with the functioning of democracy is linked to concerns about the economy, the pandemic and social divisions.

57% of Americans view voting as “a fundamental right for every adult U.S. citizen and should not be restricted in any way.”

We identified 261 U.S. jurisdictions that have adopted some voting method other than the winner-take-all system most American voters know.

Around two-thirds of adults in Germany, France and the UK say it is important for their national government to make voting compulsory.

Among Republicans, support has declined for allowing early or absentee voting without an excuse and for automatically registering all eligible citizens to vote.