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
Fact Sheet: Easing the American Nursing Shortage
2022 State Abortion Bans Are a Patchwork of Increasingly Extreme Laws
Tax Breaks for Retirement Savings Do Not Help the Workers Who Need Them Most
Latest
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Has Been Confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court
History made: Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman to be a Supreme Court justice.
The United States’ Federal Courts Are Critical in the Fight Against Climate Change
The judiciary and courts are critical in the fight against climate change, and environmental judges are essential to protecting the nation's future.
The Pro-Democracy Faith Movement
Prominent religious leaders reflect on the meaning of democracy.
Imagine a Filibuster-Free Future
It's time to say farewell to the filibuster so Congress can pass vital and popular legislation on voting rights, equal pay, and more.
A Single Courageous State: Climate, Jobs, and Justice, Episode 1
Rep. Jamie Long discusses Minnesota’s recent progress on clean vehicles, energy efficiency standards, the Line 3 pipeline, just transition, and environmental justice, as well as what’s next.
Qualified Immunity and the Bivens Doctrines Explained
Americans’ civil liberties are in danger if Congress does not ensure that ordinary people can hold state and federal officials accountable for wrongdoing.
‘We Need To Take Away Children’: Former Administration Officials Were ‘Driving Force’ Behind Family Separation Policy
The horrors of family separation and the lasting harms of these policies on children shall remain in the minds of every American.
4 Ways Religious Communities Can Ensure a Safe and Fair Election
This video from faith leaders explains four concrete, nonpartisan ways that religious communities can support the 2020 election.
Reproductive Rights at the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court's decisions this term on reproductive health are a reminder of the need for proactive policies that protect reproductive rights.
Environmental Review Is Under Attack: Here Is What’s at Stake
Moms Clean Air Force advocate Eleanor Bell shares how the National Environmental Policy Act, currently under attack by the Trump administration, protects communities like hers.