AP-NORC Poll Finds Election Confidence Falling Among Democrats

Washington Tribune Staff · Published October 21, 2026 · Poll findings released October 21, 2026

Confidence remains higher among Democrats than Republicans but has narrowed as each party expresses different fears about interference, eligibility and the courts.

Trust is moving in opposite partisan directions

Fifty-five percent of Democrats expressed confidence that votes in the 2026 midterms will be counted accurately, down from 75 percent in 2022, an AP-NORC poll found. Republican confidence rose from 26 percent to 38 percent over the same period. The changes illustrate how confidence can follow control of government and political messaging. A poll measures expectations before ballots are counted; it does not establish whether any election system is accurate or flawed.

The parties fear different failures

Democrats in the survey were more concerned about interference and voter intimidation, while Republicans more often emphasized ineligible voting. Those concerns require different safeguards. Access protections, trained poll workers and enforcement address intimidation; registration maintenance, identity procedures and audits address eligibility and tabulation. Treating every concern as equivalent can obscure evidence, but dismissing a group’s fear without explanation can make distrust more durable. Officials should identify the control that answers each claimed risk.

Court confidence is also weak

Only 17 percent of registered voters said they were highly confident that the Supreme Court would handle election cases fairly, according to AP. Courts do not decide cases by popularity, yet perceived legitimacy affects acceptance of rulings. Judges can support confidence by applying ordinary deadlines, explaining emergency decisions and avoiding unnecessary intervention close to voting. Parties also bear responsibility: describing every loss as proof of bias can undermine institutions before legal reasoning is available.

Voter identification has broad but qualified support

The poll found majority support in both parties for voter-identification rules, although agreement on acceptable documents and access may differ. A requirement can be popular in principle while producing disputes over cost, availability and provisional ballots. Policymakers should publish which identification is accepted, provide accessible ways to obtain it and measure whether eligible voters are rejected. Clear administration is more useful than arguing from a single national percentage.

Evidence should lead the public explanation

Election officials can publish equipment tests, chain-of-custody procedures, audit results and certification records. Those materials will not persuade everyone, but they give voters a verifiable basis for judgment. Officials should correct specific false claims without repeating sensational allegations more widely than necessary. Media should distinguish a reported irregularity from evidence that it affected a result. Most administrative mistakes can be identified and corrected through canvassing and audit processes.

Confidence is earned through visible procedure

The survey’s central warning is that neither party can assume institutional trust. Campaigns, courts and administrators should prepare supporters for close counts, late-arriving lawful ballots and recounts without labeling normal procedure suspicious. Voters can help by using official information, checking ballot status where available and allowing certification to finish. Confidence should not depend on whether one’s preferred candidate wins; it should rest on transparent rules, equal treatment and evidence that errors are found and addressed.

Reporting note: This article draws on public records and verified reporting; material claims are attributed in the text. Publication and event dates are stated separately. Readers should consult the supporting public record for later developments, amended data, final agency or court action, and primary documents.