
Restoring Social Trust in Democracy
Democracy is under attack at home and abroad. We must take swift action to ensure it is accessible to all, accountable, and can serve as a force of good.

What We're Working On
What We're Doing
Increasing representation and access to our democracy
All Americans must have trust in elections and election results. All Americans also must have unimpeded access to the ballot box. That is why national voting standards are so important, along with laws that would protect against interference with valid election results.
Combating the spread of harmful dis- and misinformation
Disinformation, whether about COVID-19 or elections, undermines Americans’ safety and threatens our democracy. We seek to define the government’s role in combating it, give recommendations to online platforms to stem its spread, and support robust local media that can counter its worst effects.
Building a new framework to regulate online services
Americans’ lives are increasingly reliant on online services and affected by their economic, consumer, and civic harms. A robust regulatory framework, paired with new privacy protections and reinvigorated antitrust action, is needed to address the threats these services pose.
Countering violent political extremism
Countering insurgent threats is critical to maintaining our democracy. As part of this work, we have crafted a national blueprint with the McCain Institute to end white supremacist violence. Our plan draws on expertise across CAP and from more than 150 conversations with a diverse range of stakeholders.
By the numbers
59
Gerrymandering shifted an average of 59 seats in the U.S. House from 2012 to 2016.
Source: CAP, “Voter-Determined Districts” (2019).
1 in 10
42 senators, representing only about 1/10 of the U.S. population, can filibuster popular bills.
Source: CAP, “The Impact of the Filibuster on Federal Policymaking” (2019).
30%
The U.S. population has grown by about 30% since the federal bench’s last meaningful expansion.
Source: CAP, “It Is Past Time for Congress To Expand the Lower Courts” (2021).
81%
81% of voters believe tech companies have too much power and influence over politics and government.
Source: CAP Action, “Voters Support Enacting Stronger Consumer Protections Online” (2021).
Recent work


5 things to know about the Supreme Court’s Texas abortion ban decision

House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn on Voting Rights, the Supreme Court, and More
Latest

Facebook Engagement Patterns for Progressive- and Conservative-Leaning Pages
In this report, the Center for American Progress Action Fund uses data from its Facebook social listening database, which spans more than 500 Facebook pages that have been identified as amplifiers of progressive-leaning issues or conservative-leaning issues, to assess engagement on the platform in the second half of 2021.

Strategies To Build Worker Power in Maine
Maine policymakers can improve the state’s economy and democracy by enacting these 10 recommendations to build worker power.

What Do Puerto Ricans Really Think Ahead of the 2020 Elections?
As the nation heads into the final stretch of the 2020 presidential election, it is important to fully assess what is going on in the lives of Puerto Ricans and how these voters view the critical issues facing the country and the island today.

Secretaries of State Are Crucial for Protecting African American Voters
As the ongoing coronavirus pandemic makes ensuring voters’ and election workers’ safety even more imperative, fair and inclusive elections must be state officials’ top priority heading into November.

The FBI Botched the Russia Investigation in 2016
The FBI’s timid investigation into foreign interference during the 2016 election cost them a chance to uncover a conspiracy against American democracy in real time.

How Trump Has Undermined the Wisconsin Economy
While President Trump boasts of creating the “best economy ever,” Wisconsinites are experiencing something far different.

Working-Class Americans in All States Support Progressive Economic Policies
Across U.S. states and the District of Columbia, members of the working class support policies to raise wages, increase taxes on the wealthy, and boost spending on health care, education, and infrastructure.

Case Studies in Voter Suppression: Profiling Voter Suppressors
In order to bring attention to the nationwide problem of voter suppression, it is important to call attention to the politicians who are most notorious for restricting voter access.

President Trump’s Policies Are Hurting American Workers
Worker Attack Tracker: President Trump is rolling back protections to ensure that Americans can be safe on the job, receive fair pay and benefits, save for retirement, access high-quality training programs, have a voice in their workplace, and not be discriminated against at work.

Moving Beyond “Us vs. Them” Politics
If progressives want to defeat right-wing nationalist parties and leaders globally, they must embrace, rather than ignore, the desire for change among voters.