Most Americans are not confident election systems are secure from hacking: Pew Research

A new report from Pew Research, out just one week before the U.S. midterm elections, indicates that a majority of Americans aren't confident that our national election systems are secure from hacking.

But as Election Day approaches, most Americans *are* confident their local election authorities are capable of ensuring that local elections are run smoothly, and that votes in local (as contrasted with national) elections will be counted accurately.

From the report analysis at Pew Research:

Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) have confidence in poll workers in their community to do a good job, and majorities say the same about local and state election officials.

Yet the public expresses less confidence that elections across the United States will be handled as well as local ones. And Americans are deeply concerned about whether the midterms will be secure from foreign hacking.

Two years after Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election, 67% of Americans say it is very or somewhat likely that either Russia or other foreign governments will try to influence the midterm elections.

Fewer than half (45%) are very or somewhat confident that election systems are secure from hacking, with just 8% saying they are very confident in the security of election systems nationwide.

A major new survey of public attitudes on voting and elections in the U.S. was conducted by Pew Research Center from Sept. 24-Oct. 7 among 10,683 adults, supported by a grant from the Democracy Fund. It finds that, despite concerns over election security, Americans have very positive feelings about voting: Fully 91% say voting in elections is "important," while 68% say that "voting gives people like me some say about how government runs things."

Far more Democrats than Republicans favor making it easy for all to voteIn addition, a substantial majority (80%) of adults say they expect it will be very or somewhat easy for them to vote in next week's congressional elections, though just 38% anticipate the experience will be very easy.

These sentiments are notably bipartisan. For example, identical shares in both parties (69% each) say voting gives people a say in government. Yet there are deep partisan disagreements over other aspects of elections in this country, and many are centered on fundamental questions about the voting process.

Elections in America: Concerns Over Security, Divisions Over Expanding Access to Voting