Overview
- The Pew Research Center survey, published Oct. 20, found a majority of registered voters say elections in their communities this November will be run and administered well.
- Republican supporters report higher confidence in national election administration than in recent cycles, narrowing the partisan gap on overall trust.
- Democratic confidence that mail ballots will be counted as intended has fallen from prior years but remains higher than Republican confidence.
- Fewer Democrats say they plan to vote by mail in 2026 than in 2022, a shift toward in‑person voting that could change when ballots are cast and where local election offices see the heaviest demand.
- Voters show sharp partisan splits on specific administration issues such as whether election workers will secure ballots and whether the Postal Service will return mail ballots on time, and relatively few expect a clear winner within a day or two after Election Day.