67
GOP Perception of
DEM Support
98
Actual
DEM Support
Last Updated: 12/12/2022
Total Responses: 5,302
CommonSense Americans
Support Legislation That Will Build Trust in Elections
Electoral Count Act
For over a century, the procedures that Congress followed to count the votes in the Electoral College on January 6 following a presidential election amounted to a mere formality. After all, any questions about the vote had been resolved weeks in advance. In the past two decades, however, that has changed. The congressional certification of the electors of each state is no longer simply a ceremonial formality.
Election Experts Discuss ECA Recommendations: View Now
Clarifying the Vice President's Roles
Do you support or oppose clarifying that the Vice President has only ceremonial and procedural responsibilities?
Each Party Underestimates the Amount of Support by the Other Party
88
SUPPORT
41
DEM Perception of
GOP Support
80
Actual
GOP Support
Comparing Objection Threshold Responses
Raising Objections Threshold to 1/3
Do you support or oppose raising the threshold for objections to one-third of both the House and the Senate?
54
SUPPORT
Raising Objections Threshold to 1/5
Do you support or oppose raising the threshold for objections to one-fifth of both the House and the Senate?
73
SUPPORT
Results Broken Down by Party Affiliation
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
Others
States Must Follow Their Election Day Laws
Do you support or oppose clarifying that after Election Day a state legislature may only provide a new means to choose electors if there has been a major natural disaster or a similarly catastrophic event?
80
SUPPORT
Congress Must Honor Courts' Rulings
Do you support or oppose clarifying that Congress must honor courts’ rulings in ECA disputes?
78
SUPPORT
Clarifying the Limited Grounds for Objections
Do you support or oppose clarifying the limited grounds for objections?
77
SUPPORT
Electoral Count Act - Dashboard
Want to see member responses to ECA questions broken down by party? You can also filter results by state. Click here to go to the ECA Dashboard
CommonSense American's Messages to Congress
Representative responses about the "Electoral Count Act"
"
The historical question of 'free and fair' elections is a crucial one for the sustaining of this Republic. Clear and definitive measures need to be taken to preserve:
a) The counting of the electoral college votes. In the past, no Vice President has had a wider role in the electoral process other than in officiating. Since the holder of this office has not been given constitutional right to change the result of the free and fair election, it needs to remain so. No one person should be able to determine the outcome of a presidential election...
Janice S.
Independent, Massachusetts
"
The 4 questions that CommonSense American addresses are very important. It is critical that the ECA be updated to avoid political mischief or worse in the future. And adequate funding and protection of election administration is vital...
Jerry H.
Democrat, Pennsylvania
"
The most urgent matter at hand is resolving the ambiguity of the ECA. While I would like to see legislation that assuages Republican concerns about ballot and voter registration integrity paired with Democrat-led efforts to increase access, that is secondary.
David M.
Republican, Texas
"
The time for reforming the ECA is at least 30 years overdue. The danger of partisan interests ripping our democracy apart has rarely been greater than it is today, and making changes to ensure that the integrity or our elections is respected and nothing like January 6 happens again is critical.
Alexandre H.
Independent, Georgia
CommonSense Americans Believe
It’s Important That Congress Acts Now
To Increase Trust in Elections
Read messages from CommonSense Americans to members of Congress below:
"
I would rather see some reform be implemented than none at all. I would like to see Congress pass smaller bipartisan bills, because a small success is still a success. I do not want a repeat of the 2020 election in our future elections, so please pass a reform bill that will protect us the most from that happening.
Susan G.
Democrat, Delaware
"
We have a responsibility to address these election issues and to resolve them as quickly as possible for the integrity of the public’s voice and the effectiveness of the democracy.
Patricia E.
Independent, California
"
The vitriol between parties is hurting us, your constituents. Please pass legislation that will demonstrate that have more common interests than differences. Please do not allow what happened Jan 6, 2020 to ever happen again.
Jennifer B.
Democrat, Tennessee
"
It is time to stop playing party politics and remember that feeling the first time you heard you won the seat to which you were elected. You bear an awesome responsibility to the people of your district, your state, and this nation. Act like you were sent to represent us. Leave elections to the states but give them the funding needed to safeguard our elections. 2020 was a fair election; but the mess created by it was a national embarrassment and needs to be rectified.
Daniel D.
Republican, Pennsylvania
"
I support all of these proposals; but to take an "all-or-nothing" attitude by linking them together I believe is extremely short-sighted. It is a political tactic that does nothing to further perfect our union -- it only serves to divide us further. Please support these measures individually, and help protect our form of government before we lose it.
Scott O.
Independent, Minnesota
Presidential Transition Act
Two elections in the last twenty years have brought attention to the challenge of presidential transitions. In both 2000 and 2020, the official determination by the federal government of who the president-elect was took place several weeks after the election. As a result, the additional resources provided to an incoming administration to prepare to govern under the Presidential Transition Act (PTA) were delayed. Below are three recommendations to amend the PTA to address the challenges to effective presidential transitions that were highlighted by these 2 elections.
Election Experts Discuss PTA Recommendations: View Now
Sharing Full Resources
Do you support or oppose sharing full transition resources with both candidates if ascertainment is delayed?
69
SUPPORT
Presidential Transition Act - Dashboard
Want to see member responses to PTA questions broken down by party? You can also filter results by state. Click here to go to the PTA Dashboard
Election Worker Protection
Threats of violence and acts of intimidation directed toward election workers have increased significantly. Election workers include full- and part-time state and local election officials and the large temporary workforce who administer U.S. elections. The growing threat has contributed to staffing shortages and a loss of institutional knowledge because of increased election worker resignations and difficulty in recruiting new talent.
Rising concern for election workers’ security and the challenges it poses for accessible and secure elections have resulted in a growing bipartisan consensus that Congress should address the problem.
Election Experts Discuss Election Worker Security Recommendations: View Now
Federal Criminal Penalties
Do you support or oppose establishing federal criminal penalties for threatening, intimidating, or harassing election workers?
Each Party Underestimates the Amount of Support by the Other Party
81
SUPPORT
63
GOP Perception of DEM Support
97
Actual
DEM Support
40
DEM Perception of GOP Support
60
Actual
GOP Support
Federal Privacy Protection
Do you support or oppose extending federal privacy protections to all election workers?
84
SUPPORT
Increase Federal Investigation Resources
Do you support or oppose increasing federal resources for investigating and prosecuting threats to election workers and for keeping them informed about federal threats?
80
SUPPORT
Election Worker Protection - Dashboard
Want to see member responses to EWP questions broken down by party? You can also filter results by state. Click here to go to the EWP Dashboard
CommonSense American's Messages to Congress
Representative responses about "Election Worker Protection"
"
As I support many things such as protection for election workers and integrity, this needs to be in the states hands and we need to be minimizing the federal government's role, not increasing.
Jayne M.
Republican, New York
"
... Election workers should absolutely be protected from intimidation, threats, privacy invasion and violence...
Sarah C.
Republican, North Carolina
"
Elections workers should NEVER be subject to intimidation by the public or elected officials. With society today, election workers should be granted every privacy measure possible to prevent intimidation.
Mark F.
Democrat, Texas
All Messages to Congress
State and Local Funding
The most universal complaint of election administrators in testimony before the 2014 Bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration concerned a lack of resources. Election administrators have described themselves as the least powerful lobby in state legislatures and often the last constituency to receive funds at the local level.
Given the issues with underfunding, bipartisan interest in providing more federal dollars to support state and local governments is growing. Republicans and Democrats alike want to be able to trust our elections.
Election Experts Discuss State & Local Funding Recommendations: View Now
$500 Million per Year
Do you support or oppose general funding of about $500 million each year over the next ten years for state and local governments to spend as they think most appropriate to administer elections?
62
SUPPORT
$400-500 Million (one-time)
Do you support or oppose new federal one-time funding of about $400 - $500 million to address specified pressing needs like election security?
61
SUPPORT
$1 Billion per Year
Do you support or oppose general funding of about $1 billion each year over the next ten years for state and local governments to spend as they think most appropriate to administer elections?
47
SUPPORT
$2Billion per Year
Do you support or oppose general funding of about $2 billion each year over the next ten years for state and local governments to spend as they think most appropriate to administer elections?
32
SUPPORT
State and Local Funding - Dashboard
Want to see member responses to SLF questions broken down by party? You can also filter results by state. Click here to go to the SLF Dashboard
CommonSense American's Messages to Congress
Our members were asked, "Overall, What would you like to say to your members of Congress about Elections Legislation?" These are some representative responses for and against "State and Local Funding":
Comments FOR Federal Funding of State and Local Elections
"
Leaving federal elections to the states without appropriate funding to handle said elections is a recipe for disaster. States strapped for funds, may not view elections as their most pressing priority and leave the process, people and equipment underfunded and in distress...
Kristi R.
Independent, Washington
"
Elections are truly a state matter, and the federal government is there to accept the results of the states. If states want secure and functional elections, they have to fund them. It is not up to the federal government to fund states who are neglecting their election process. If the people of that state don't like how it's done, they are the ones responsible to fix it.
Michelle G.
Independent, Alaska
"
...So I support election reform and increased federal funding for elections, particularly funding for election security and administration of federal elections, most notably for President and Vice President.
Edward W.
Republican, Pennsylvania
"
...I support federal funding for elections, but that should be coupled not so much with prescriptive "strings" as with full transparency and an assurance that the elections being funded are conducted in accordance with overarching principles.
Phoebe B.
Democrat, Maryland