Restoring Social Trust in Democracy
Democracy is under attack at home and abroad. We must take swift action to ensure it is accessible to all, accountable, and can serve as a force of good.
What We're Working On
What We're Doing
Increasing representation and access to our democracy
All Americans must have trust in elections and election results. All Americans also must have unimpeded access to the ballot box. That is why national voting standards are so important, along with laws that would protect against interference with valid election results.
Combating the spread of harmful dis- and misinformation
Disinformation, whether about COVID-19 or elections, undermines Americans’ safety and threatens our democracy. We seek to define the government’s role in combating it, give recommendations to online platforms to stem its spread, and support robust local media that can counter its worst effects.
Building a new framework to regulate online services
Americans’ lives are increasingly reliant on online services and affected by their economic, consumer, and civic harms. A robust regulatory framework, paired with new privacy protections and reinvigorated antitrust action, is needed to address the threats these services pose.
Countering violent political extremism
Countering insurgent threats is critical to maintaining our democracy. As part of this work, we have crafted a national blueprint with the McCain Institute to end white supremacist violence. Our plan draws on expertise across CAP and from more than 150 conversations with a diverse range of stakeholders.
By the numbers
59
Gerrymandering shifted an average of 59 seats in the U.S. House from 2012 to 2016.
Source: CAP, “Voter-Determined Districts” (2019).
1 in 10
42 senators, representing only about 1/10 of the U.S. population, can filibuster popular bills.
Source: CAP, “The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking” (2019).
30%
The U.S. population has grown by about 30% since the federal bench’s last meaningful expansion.
Source: CAP, “It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts” (2021).
81%
81% of voters believe tech companies have too much power and influence over politics and government.
Source: CAP Action, “Voters Support Enacting Stronger Consumer Protections Online” (2021).
What You Can Do
Recent work
Congress Must Pass the Preventing a Patronage System Act To Protect Federal Civil Servants’ Impartiality
9 Ways the Supreme Court’s Decision in Moore v. Harper Could Harm Democracy
Rulemaking Is Needed To Address the Harms From Commercial Surveillance and Lax Data Security
Election Deniers Lost Key Races for Federal and State Offices in the 2022 Midterm Elections
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Congress Must Pass the Preventing a Patronage System Act To Protect Federal Civil Servants’ Impartiality
Passage of the Preventing a Patronage System Act is critical to allow civil servants to do their jobs and to ensure the federal government’s stability, reliability, and authority in domestic functions and international relations.
9 Ways the Supreme Court’s Decision in Moore v. Harper Could Harm Democracy
If the Supreme Court’s extreme conservative majority adopts the discredited independent state legislature theory, it could pose a huge setback for free and fair elections.
Rulemaking Is Needed To Address the Harms From Commercial Surveillance and Lax Data Security
The Federal Trade Commission should undertake rulemaking to address the harms created by the monetization of consumer data collected through commercial surveillance online as well as lax data security practices.
Election Deniers Lost Key Races for Federal and State Offices in the 2022 Midterm Elections
Candidates who questioned or denied the outcome of the 2020 presidential election lost key races in the midterms as voters across the country elected pro-democracy candidates.
New Allegations of a Leak by Justice Alito Underscore the Need for Supreme Court Reform
Shocking allegations that Justice Samuel Alito leaked the decision in the 2014 Supreme Court Hobby Lobby case must catalyze a bipartisan effort to reform the court and impose a binding, enforceable code of ethics on its justices.
U.S. Election Funding: 5 Myths Debunked
Here are the reasons why state spending of federal election funding is significant, why some states are not spending it as quickly as some policymakers want, and why Congress must continue to invest in funding federal elections.
The Seeds of Russia’s Military Collapse in Ukraine Were Planted by its Bungled Elimination of Conscription
Larry Korb describes the conditions that allowed Russia's forces to be overwhelmed by Ukrainian troops.
Elections Must Be Secure and Accessible for All in the Wake of Natural Disasters and Events
Hurricane Ian was just the latest in a series of natural disasters and events that have disrupted elections; it’s past time we make elections climate resistant.
Social Media and the 2022 Midterm Elections: Anticipating Online Threats to Democratic Legitimacy
Social media companies continue to allow attacks on U.S. democracy to proliferate on their platforms, undermining election legitimacy, fueling hate and violence, and sowing chaos.
Finding Common Ground to Address Threats to Our Elections
Please join the Center for American Progress for a virtual event that will assess the current threats to our elections, analyze what state officials are doing to address the issues, and explore how Americans can come together to safeguard our democracy.
The Opioid Epidemic Demands Public Health Solutions, Not False Claims About Immigration
The opioid epidemic is a public health issue that cannot be credibly linked to immigration or asylum-seekers.
A Legislative Proposal To Help Safeguard Elections
CAP’s new proposal can help a polarized Congress come together to protect democracy.