March 11, 2026

Election Security, March 2026

Many Americans Confident in Fair Elections This November, But Doubts on the Rise

Many Americans express confidence in their local and state governments to conduct fair and accurate elections in November’s midterm elections. However, the proportion has dropped since 2024. More than six in ten Americans think ballots will be counted accurately, and when it comes to the biggest threat to safe and secure elections, about one in three mention voter fraud.

66% of Americans are either very confident or confident that their state or local government will run fair and accurate elections in November, down from 76% in October of 2024. 34% of Americans express little or no confidence in their state or local government to conduct fair and accurate elections in November, up from 24% previously.

Majorities of Democrats (72%), Republicans (70%), and independents (65%) express confidence their local governments to run fair elections. However, fewer Democrats and independents, compared with October of 2024, have this view. At that time, 88% of Democrats and 76% of independents said they had faith that fair elections would take place. 67% of Republicans said the same.

More than six in ten Americans (63%) have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence that ballots cast in the election will be counted accurately. 37% say they do not have very much confidence or have no confidence at all that the ballot count will be fair.

33% of adults think the biggest threat to safe and secure elections is voter fraud. 26% say misleading information is the biggest threat followed by voter suppression (24%), foreign interference (8%), and problems at their polling place (7%). Opinions have shifted. In January of 2020, misleading information (35%) topped the list followed by voter fraud (24%), voter suppression (16%), foreign interference (15%), and problems at polling places (5%).

Democrats (41%) are most concerned with voter suppression while Republicans think the biggest threat to above board elections is voter fraud (57%). A plurality of independents (32%) mention misleading information followed by voter fraud (28%) and voter suppression (23%).

If this year's congressional midterm elections were held today, 53% of registered voters nationally say they would support the Democratic candidate on the ballot in their district while 44% would support the Republican candidate. Two percent say they would support another candidate, and 1% is unsure.

Americans Divide About the Possibility of Voter Fraud

Half of Americans (50%) think it is either very likely or likely that voter fraud will occur during this years elections. The same proportion (50%) believe it is not very likely or not likely at all that people who are not eligible to vote will vote or will vote more than once. Republicans (70%) are more likely than Democrats (32%) and independents (45%) to say there is a possibility that voter fraud will happen during the elections.

Nearly Six in Ten Think Voters will be Turned Away at the Polls

58% of Americans think it is very likely or likely that people will show up at the polls and be told they are not eligible to vote. 42% believe that is not very likely or not likely at all for this to occur. Opinions have flipped on this question. In January of 2020, 42% of Americans thought this was a real possibility while 53% thought it was not very likely or not very likely at all that voters would show up at the polls and be told they were ineligible. Democrats (74%) are more likely than Republicans (47%) and independents (47%) to think voters will be turned away at their voting locations.

Americans More Concerned with Accessibility of Elections Rather Than Making Sure Ineligible Voters Don’t Vote

When thinking about November’s elections, Americans are more concerned with ensuring that everyone who wants to vote can do so (59%) rather than making sure that no one votes who is ineligible (41%). Democrats (86%) and independents (53%) are more concerned that everyone who wants to vote can cast a ballot while Republicans (70%) are more concerned about making sure ineligible voters cannot vote.

Majority Opposes National Guard Presence at Voting Locations

54% of Americans either oppose or strongly oppose the National Guard being present at voting locations to monitor November’s election. 46% either strongly support or support the idea. While many Democrats (75%) and independents (61%) express opposition, more than seven in ten Republicans (73%) are in favor of having the National Guard monitor voting locations.

Most Americans Think AI will Spread Misinformation about the Elections

More than eight in ten Americans (85%) say it is either very likely or likely that political content created by Artificial Intelligence will spread misleading information about the elections. 15%, though, think it is not very likely or not likely at all this will occur. Regardless of party, more than eight in ten Americans think AI will transmit false information about the elections.

No Go on Placing Bets on Elections, Say Many Americans

Nearly seven in ten Americans (68%) say that it is not very acceptable or not acceptable at all to place bets on election outcomes. 31% of Americans say that it is very acceptable or acceptable to place a wager on elections.

Majority Think State of the Union is Weak; Nation is Off Track

55% of Americans say the state of the union is not very strong or not strong at all. 45%, though, think the union is very strong or strong. These findings are nearly identical to those reported last month prior to the president’s speech.

More than six in ten Americans (61%) also report that the nation is headed in the wrong direction, comparable to the 63% of Americans who had this view in December of 2025. 38%, little changed from 37% previously, say the U.S. is moving in the right direction.

President Trump’s Scores Upside Down

President Trump’s job approval rating among Americans is 38%, virtually unchanged from the 39% score he received in February. 57% disapprove of the job the president is doing, and 5% are unsure. Americans are nearly twice as likely to strongly disapprove (50%) of the job he is doing than to strongly approve (26%).

On the specifics of the president’s job performance, 35% of Americans approve of how he is handling the economy. 58% disapprove, and 7% are unsure. These ratings are little changed from February.

The president’s rating on immigration is also underwater. 40%, down from 43% in July of 2025, approve. 57%, up from 52%, disapprove.

Methodology

This NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll national survey of 1,591 adults was conducted March 2nd through March 4th, 2026, by the Marist Poll in partnership with NPR and PBS News. Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the United States were contacted through a multi-mode design: By phone using live interviewers, by text, or online. Results for all adults (n= 1,591) are statistically significant within ±2.8 percentage points. Results for registered voters (n=1,392) are statistically significant within ±3.0 percentage points. For full methodology and tables, click on the Survey Data button below.