Poll: Fewer Than 1 in 5 Americans Believes Democracy is "Working Well"

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Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 12:31 pm

The majority of Americans are dissatisfied with democracy according to the latest survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which found that fewer than 1 in 5 Americans (or 16%) believe that democracy in the United States is “working well” or “extremely well.” 38% of those surveyed believe democracy is working only somewhat well while 45% believe democracy is not working well at all.

The findings also highlight a political divide.

More Democrats (22%) than Republicans (10%) believe democracy is working very well. 48% of Democrats believe democracy is working somewhat well compared to 26% of Republicans who say the same.

The findings indicate a drop among Republicans since October when 68% said that democracy is working at least somewhat well.

“Overall 49% think the country is on the right track, but outlooks diverge based on partisanship. Throughout the Trump Administration, large numbers of Democrats have described the country as headed in the wrong direction. As recently as October 2020, only 6% said the country was on the right track. With the Biden administration in the White House, 76% of Democrats are now feeling optimistic,” according to the poll.

Additionally, “A majority of Republicans had a positive view of the direction of the country for most of the Trump Administration, dropping into the 30’s last summer as the protests for racial justice and the pandemic surged. In the wake of Biden’s inauguration, only 20% of Republicans say the country is heading in the right direction, while 79% think it’s heading in wrong direction.”

Since the fall, former President Donald Trump mounted continued attacks against elections and spread numerous falsehoods about election fraud. Although there is no evidence to support Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud, many of his supporters, spurred by his insistence that the election was stolen, stormed the United States Capitol last month in a bid to overturn the results of an election that countless government officials and independent observers have affirmed was free and fair.