On the Issues: Democracy and 2024

We look at the state of voting, election integrity and U.S. democracy ahead of the election.

View this email online Support This Newsletter Hello! As the holiday season unfolds, traditions bring us together and remind us of what we hold dear. For many of you, NPR and this newsletter are a cherished part of your daily ritual, much like these seasonal joys. As your newsletter writer, I’m inviting you to include NPR in your holiday traditions by supporting the network that enriches lives all year long. Let’s celebrate the tradition of independent journalism and storytelling that touches millions of hearts and minds every day. Every dollar makes a difference. Please donate today! - Domenico Montanaro, NPR's Senior Political Editor/Correspondent  Dec. 7, 2023 Ahead of the Iowa caucuses, we're diving into some of the biggest issues at play in the 2024 election. Today, we take a look at voting, election integrity, and the state of U.S. democracy.  On The Issues: Democracy and 2024 Brent Stirton/Getty Images Twenty years ago, about 80% of Republicans trusted U.S. elections. Things have gone downhill since then, driven by presidential defeats in 2008 and 2012, and former President Donald Trump’s false insistence that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Now, that trust number is reversed. Just 22% of Republican voters have high confidence that votes in 2024 will be counted accurately, according to a June poll by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center. That means it’s extremely difficult (though not impossible) to be a viable GOP candidate in a statewide or national primary race without at least nodding to the possibility of election shenanigans. We saw this in 2022, when a report found two-thirds of governor and secretary of state races included a candidate who denied or questioned the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s win in 2020. And looking at the Republican presidential field, candidates have generally gotten the memo too, though each has found a different way to tap into those election anxieties. It makes sense. Candidates respond to their voters, and base Republican voters feel they were cheated in 2020. But the question always looming in these sort of primary fights is: Will there be a cost come November? The vast majority of election-denying candidates lost in 2022, including in Senate races in key swing states like Georgia and Arizona. And polls consistently find that most independent voters think Biden legitimately won. But in 2023, the Republican Party is still tied to Donald Trump. And as long as that is the case, election grievances seem destined to be a party platform.                            — NPR voting correspondent Miles Parks Newsletter continues after sponsor message Where The GOP Candidates Stand:  Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images The Republican presidential primary field is led by a candidate who pushed lies about a stolen election and tried to stay in power after his defeat. And while many Republican leaders criticized former President Trump in the immediate aftermath of Jan. 6, the belief that the 2020 election was stolen is now common in the GOP.  NPR's voting team has been tracking where all the candidates stand on issues of democracy and election integrity. Read More Help Keep the Conversations Going.   Support the NPR Network and stand for trustworthy journalism that keeps you informed, enlightened, and connected. Your donation fuels in-depth reporting, unbiased insights, and thought-provoking stories that matter.  Join us in sustaining an essential source of knowledge and perspective for a brighter future. Act now with your support today.  Donate By The Numbers:  Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Image 21% of Republicans believe President Biden won the 2020 election “fair and square,” while 68% of Republicans say he won “due to voter fraud,” according to a May Monmouth University poll.  That is false. Various audits, reviews and court cases have found no widespread fraud that would alter the election outcome. 75% of Americans believe the "future of American democracy is at risk in the 2024 presidential election," according to a survey released last month by the Public Religion Research Institute, in partnership with the Brookings Institution.  — Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer Essential Reading:  Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images How the far right tore apart one of the best tools to fight voter fraud Why is “the Big Lie” so hard to dispel? More Americans say they support political violence ahead of the 2024 election.  A federal court ruling poses a new threat to the Voting Rights Act Essential Listening:  Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Image 🎧 Why is it getting harder to fight election misinformation? (NPR Politics Podcast) 🎧 Our changing democracy: non-partisan primaries, and internet voting (NPR Politics Podcast) 🎧 For election workers, Trump’s lies mean threats, harassment, and fear of 2024 (Up First Sunday) 🎧 Ranked choice voting may be coming to an election near you (Consider This) 🎧  Trump and his allies are planning a more radical second term — and an unprecedented expansion of power (NPR Politics Podcast) Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from St. Louis Public Radio (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprpolitics@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. 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