U.S. Democracy

As states around the country debate laws regarding access to the ballot – ranging from automatic voter registration to voter ID requirements – most Americans back making it easy for all citizens to vote. But they overwhelmingly reject the idea of requiring people to vote.

Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say the relationship between the two is unhealthy.

Large majorities of the public, Republicans and Democrats alike, say open and fair elections and a system of governmental checks and balances are essential to maintaining a strong democracy in the United States.

Pew Research Center President Michael Dimock examines the changes – some profound, some subtle – that the U.S. experienced during Barack Obama’s presidency.

Americans used President Obama's "We the People" online petitioning system to address health care, veterans’ issues and illnesses among other issues. But the impact of petitions was modest and varied.

For the fifth time in U.S. history, and the second time this century, a presidential candidate has won the White House while losing the popular vote.

New census data show that 263 counties, cities and other jurisdictions in 29 states will now be required to print election ballots in non-English languages.

No other democratic nation fills its top job quite the way the U.S. does, and only a handful are even similar.

For most voters, the 2016 presidential campaign was one to forget.

The great majority of Americans who vote on Election Day will use one of two basic technologies: "fill-in-the-bubble" and other optical-scan ballots, or touch-screen computers and other direct recording electronic systems.