Fixing Our Elections: A Challenge for All Americans

This November, a record number of Americans will vote in local, state, and federal elections. They'll decide on leaders and important issues like abortion rights and minimum wage increases. Many have already started voting by mail. For years, Americans have seen our elections as a model for the world. Groups like the Carter Center help other countries run fair elections. But this year, things are different. Only a third of Americans think the 2024 elections will be honest. This trust issue started after the 2000 election, when the Supreme Court decided the winner. It got worse when former President Trump questioned the 2020 results. Despite these issues, people running our elections have done a great job keeping them fair. Even under pressure from their own parties, they've resisted interference. Paige Alexander, CEO of the Carter Center, started democracy resilience networks in the U.S. after the 2020 election. She worked with both Democrats and Republicans to make our elections stronger.

To make Americans trust elections again, everyone needs to help. Political consultant Frank Luntz says some people will always doubt the results if Trump isn't the winner. But if our institutions stay strong, we can slowly gain back that trust. This November, we hope election officials from both parties do their job well. They should make the vote counting, reporting, and certification process open and secure. The Department of Homeland Security has already taken steps to protect the January 6 certification in Congress. Lastly, we hope Americans vote in large numbers. The more people vote, the more responsible our leaders will be. Let's show the world that America still runs fair elections.

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