Resources

Use our resource library to explore the latest research in the field of election science.

79 Resources

States United2025
Voter Trust Reports

The report finds people who expressed higher levels of confidence that their vote would be counted as intended were more likely to vote. This pattern was consistent across partisan groups and most prominent among independents; If Americans felt more confident about the security of the 2024 election, turnout could have increased by 3.0-3.7 percentage points; If all Americans felt the highest levels of confidence going into November 2024, as many as 4.7-5.7 million more voters may have cast a ballot.

National Association of Secretaries of State2025
Voter Trust Issue Briefs

In this brief, authors discuss how election websites are a primary touchpoint for voters seeking reliable guidance on registration, polling locations, and voting procedures. By prioritizing easy access and transparency, authors state that election offices can bolster trust and engagement, strengthening the democratic process.

Morgan Wack, Joseph S. Schafer, Ian Kennedy, Anna Beers, Emma S. Spiro, Kate Starbird2025
Voter Trust Academic Papers

This academic paper focuses on election misinformation, fraud narratives, or public misperceptions and their effects on confidence in U.S. elections. It is relevant because beliefs about fraud and exposure to misleading claims are central mechanisms through which confidence in election outcomes rises or falls. For this dataset, it helps capture the most recent post-2020 trust environment and the continuing effects of election denial, security concerns, and polarization.

Voter Trust Workforce Reports

This Brennan Center survey reports on local election officials’ experiences with security, threats, funding, staffing, and preparation for the 2024 election environment. It is relevant because trusted, timely, and nonpartisan communication is one of the main tools election officials and civic groups use to counter distrust. For this dataset, it helps capture the most recent post-2020 trust environment and the continuing effects of election denial, security concerns, and polarization.

Mackenzie Lockhart, Jennifer Gaudette, Seth Hill, Thad Kousser, Mindy Romero, Laura UribeCenter for Inclusive Democracy2024
Voter Trust Academic Papers

Study examining what election officials can do to counteract distrust during delays in vote-counting.

Marek N. Posard, Todd C. Helmus, Michelle Woods, Bilva ChandraRAND Corporation2024
Voter Trust Reports

This RAND resource addresses technology, misinformation, political violence, or public communication risks that could affect trust in the 2024 election environment. It is relevant because confidence depends not only on actual system security but also on whether voters understand the safeguards protecting registration, voting, and counting. For this dataset, it helps capture the most recent post-2020 trust environment and the continuing effects of election denial, security concerns, and polarization.

Mackenzie Lockhart, Jennifer Gaudette, Seth Hill, Thad Kousser, Mindy Romero Center for Inclusive Democracy2024
Voter Trust Issue Briefs

One-pager explaining the results of a study where voters were informed election results would be available after a multi-day process, and examining solutions from that study to improve voter trust in vote counting measures.

Matthew A Baum, James N Druckman, Katherine Ognyanova, Jonathan Schulman2024
Voter Trust Academic Papers

This academic article examines how unsupported fraud claims or misperceptions about voting affect confidence in election outcomes and perceived legitimacy. It is relevant to the dataset because it connects election rules, information environments, or administrative performance to public confidence and perceived legitimacy. For this dataset, it helps capture the most recent post-2020 trust environment and the continuing effects of election denial, security concerns, and polarization.

Laura Uribe, Kailen Aldridge, Thad Kousser, Kyshan Nichols-Smith, Tye Rush University of California San Diego2024
Voter Trust Academic Papers

Academic paper examining how race and state policies impact voter trust and confience in electoral systems.

Mackenzie Lockhart, Jennifer Gaudette, Seth J Hill, Thad Kousser, Mindy Romero, Laura Uribe2024
Voter Trust Academic Papers

Using a preregistered survey experiment of nearly 10,000 Americans, this article shows that informing voters about longer-than-expected vote counting time induces a large, significant decrease in trust in the election. However, viewing a “prebunking” video in advance of being informed of the delay in results more than makes up for the delay-induced decrease in election trust.

Charles Stewart IIIMIT Election Data + Science Lab2024
Voter Trust Reports

This post-election survey reports on how Americans cast ballots in 2024 and how confident they were that votes were counted accurately.