WASHINGTON — Americans are heading toward the 2026 midterm elections with widespread concerns about the security and fairness of the voting process, but a new national poll shows that those worries are not confined to one political party.
The most striking finding is that 67 percent of Americans say they are concerned that political leaders could pressure election officials to change election outcomes. The concern crosses party lines, although Democrats are substantially more likely than Republicans to express it.
The findings come as the country approaches another major election cycle in an environment where trust in institutions, election administration and political leaders remains deeply divided.
Political pressure is the leading election concern
According to the Gallup survey, conducted in partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, two-thirds of Americans expressed at least a fair amount of concern that political leaders might pressure election officials to alter the results of elections.
That concern was reported by 77 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Republicans.
The difference between the parties is significant, but the numbers also demonstrate an unusual point of agreement: a majority of Republicans as well as Democrats are worried about political interference with election officials.
The issue is particularly important because election officials generally operate at the state and local levels. Their responsibilities include administering voting, handling ballots, counting votes and certifying results.
If voters believe those officials could be pressured by politicians, confidence in the entire electoral system can suffer — even when elections are administered correctly.
Republicans and Democrats worry about different risks
Although Americans share some concerns, the poll reveals a major partisan divide over which threats appear most serious.
Republicans are more likely to worry about ballots being improperly handled, counted or secured. Sixty-six percent of Republicans expressed concern about that possibility, compared with 52 percent of Democrats.
Another major Republican concern involves people who are legally ineligible to vote. The poll found that a large majority of Republicans are worried about ineligible voters casting ballots.
Democrats, meanwhile, are more likely to focus on political pressure on election officials and intimidation around polling places.
These differences reflect the broader political debate over election integrity.
For many Republicans, election integrity is closely associated with preventing fraud, ensuring that ballots are properly secured and making certain that only eligible voters participate.
For many Democrats, the principal concern is whether political actors could interfere with election administration, intimidate voters or undermine legitimate results.
The result is a country where voters from both parties are worried about elections, but often for very different reasons.
Concern extends beyond ballot counting
The survey suggests that Americans' anxiety is not limited to what happens inside polling places.
Gallup found that 52 percent of Americans are concerned about voter intimidation near polling locations.
Forty percent also expressed concern about personally being confronted, followed or recorded while voting.
Those concerns can have consequences even if no actual interference occurs. Voters who believe that voting could expose them to harassment or intimidation may become less willing to participate.
Election officials face a similar problem. Public confidence depends not only on conducting elections securely but also on convincing voters that the process is independent, professional and protected from political pressure.
Americans are worried about democracy more broadly
The poll also found that concerns about elections are part of a larger anxiety about American democracy.
Eighty percent of Americans said they were concerned about political leaders taking potentially illegal actions.
About 77 percent expressed concern about gerrymandering, while 64 percent were concerned about peaceful protesters being harmed by federal agents, military personnel or law enforcement.
These numbers indicate that public concern goes beyond the mechanics of voting.
Americans are also worried about how political power is exercised between elections, how electoral districts are drawn and whether government institutions respect legal and democratic boundaries.
Why the findings matter before the midterms
The 2026 congressional elections will determine control of the House and Senate and will serve as a major test of the country's political mood.
Concerns about election integrity could influence voter behavior in several ways.
Some voters may become more motivated to participate because they believe the election is especially important.
Others could become discouraged if they conclude that the outcome is predetermined or that election officials may be vulnerable to political pressure.
Gallup noted that 73 percent of Americans are concerned about multiple aspects of the election process, rather than just one particular threat.
That broad level of concern could make public acceptance of election results especially important after the votes are counted.
Trust may be as important as security
Modern elections involve numerous safeguards, including ballot handling procedures, election-worker training, voter eligibility rules and certification processes.
But even a well-run election can face a crisis of confidence if voters do not trust the institutions responsible for administering it.
The Gallup findings therefore highlight a distinction between election security and public confidence.
Security concerns ask whether ballots are protected and counted accurately.
Confidence concerns ask whether voters believe the people overseeing the process are acting independently and honestly.
Both are essential.
If Americans believe ballots are secure but election officials are vulnerable to political pressure, trust can still collapse. Conversely, if voters trust election administrators but believe ballots are poorly handled, confidence can also deteriorate.
Political attention increases concern
Gallup found that people who pay closer attention to politics tend to report higher levels of concern about several democracy-related issues.
For example, 83 percent of people who pay a moderate or great deal of attention to government and political affairs expressed concern about gerrymandering, compared with 67 percent among people who pay less attention.
The relationship suggests that political awareness may expose Americans to more information about potential threats to democratic institutions — although the survey does not establish that political attention itself causes greater concern.
Social media use also appears to be associated with higher levels of concern on some issues, particularly worries about people being harmed during peaceful protests.
The 2026 election will test public confidence
The significance of the poll may ultimately depend on what happens after Election Day.
A healthy electoral system requires more than voters casting ballots. Candidates and political leaders must also accept legitimate results, election officials must be able to perform their duties without improper interference, and voters must have confidence that disputes will be resolved through established legal procedures.
The current polling suggests that Americans are entering the midterms with substantial doubts about all of those elements.
Yet the results also reveal an important area of common ground.
Democrats and Republicans disagree sharply over which election threats deserve the most attention. But majorities of both parties express concern about the possibility of political interference, while voters across the political spectrum also worry about ballot security and other aspects of the voting process.
That shared anxiety could become one of the defining features of the 2026 midterms.
As November approaches, the challenge for election officials will not simply be to conduct secure elections. It will also be to demonstrate, clearly and consistently, that the people responsible for counting and certifying votes can perform their duties independently of political pressure.
For voters, the central question may be as much about trust as it is about the mechanics of voting.
And according to the new Gallup findings, that trust is already under significant strain.
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