Democracy
ProPublica is investigating excesses of both major political parties. We are focusing our efforts in three broad areas: who votes, who counts the votes and who is providing legal, intellectual and financial backing for efforts aimed at restricting voting or influencing the election process.
Series
The Right to Read
Examining the Toll of America’s Literacy Crisis
The Insurrection
Reporting on the mob that attacked and breached the Capitol, the fallout from that day, and ongoing far-right violence.
A User’s Guide to Democracy
Congress Works For You. Here’s How to Be a Better Boss.
Stories
True the Vote Leadership Accused of Using Donations for Personal Gain
The conspiracy-peddling nonprofit made loans to founder Catherine Engelbrecht and issued contracts to longtime director Gregg Phillips that may have violated state and federal law, a watchdog complaint filed with the IRS alleges.
Clyburn’s Role in South Carolina Redistricting May Be Examined as Supreme Court Hears Racial Gerrymandering Case
The NAACP successfully challenged the state’s new congressional maps as racially motivated. Republicans argued that they fielded requests from the powerful Black Democrat before redrawing district lines.
Churches’ Role in Local Election Prompts Calls for Investigations
West Texas voters rejected three conservative Christian candidates who sought to infuse religious values into local politics. But the campaign support the candidates received from local churches has prompted calls for state and federal probes.
How Rep. James Clyburn Protected His District at a Cost to Black Democrats
Facing the possibility of an unsafe district, South Carolina’s most powerful Democrat sent his aide to consult with the GOP on a redistricting plan that diluted Black voting strength and harmed his party’s chances of gaining seats in Congress.
When GOP Attorneys General Embraced Jan. 6, Corporate Funders Fled. Now They’re Back.
Even as the Republican Attorneys General Association has leaned further into promoting Trumpism and sowing doubt about U.S. elections, major sponsors including Amazon, Walmart and Home Depot have resumed their contributions to the group.
Two Republicans Kicked Off County Election Board in North Carolina for Failing to Certify Results
What happened to the officials stands in sharp contrast to elsewhere in the U.S., where those who voted against certification faced few consequences.
DeSantis Privately Called for Google to Be “Broken Up”
In previously unreported videos from a closed-door Teneo Network conference, Florida's Republican governor takes his anti-big tech rhetoric beyond what he has said publicly.
A Florida-Sized Roadblock for the League of Women Voters
After a league rally was blocked by a new rule, the chapter’s president considers what might come next in a state where Gov. Ron DeSantis is restricting public discourse.
Inside the “Private and Confidential” Conservative Group That Promises to “Crush Liberal Dominance”
Leonard Leo, a key architect of the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority, is now the chairman of Teneo Network, a group that aims to influence all aspects of American politics and culture.
Some Election Officials Refused to Certify Results. Few Were Held Accountable.
A ProPublica review of local officials who refused to certify 2022 election results found that most did not face formal consequences. Experts explain what that means for the future of American elections.
How an Anti-Abortion Law Firm Teamed Up With a Disgraced Kansas Attorney to Dispute the 2020 Election
A Catholic-led law firm is sowing doubts about election integrity as part of its long-term strategy to battle abortion rights.
Promoters of Election Lies Also Hyped a Hospital for Ukraine. That Never Happened Either.
True the Vote, a group that spread discredited election conspiracy theories, “abandoned” The Freedom Hospital in April 2022, according to its lawyers. Yet board member Gregg Phillips continued to seek donations for the project for months afterward.
Conservative Activist Poured Millions Into Groups Seeking to Influence Supreme Court on Elections and Discrimination
Newly obtained records show how Leonard Leo, an architect of the right-wing takeover of the courts, has been funding groups pushing to change elections and anti-discrimination laws.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Part of Montana’s Far-Reaching Anti-Vax Law
ProPublica recently explored how Republicans in Montana passed the country’s most extreme anti-vaccination law and a hospital soon became overtaken by COVID. Now a judge has ruled the law went too far.
What’s Really at Stake in a Politically Charged Supreme Court Case on Elections
Moore v. Harper could transform the law — but not in the way that many pundits, or even politicians, anticipate.
How Tennessee Disenfranchised 21% of Its Black Citizens
While many states have made it easier for people convicted of felonies to vote, Tennessee has gone in the other direction.
They Were Trying to Help Run Elections. Then They Got Criminally Investigated.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton hasn’t just been pursuing supposed voter fraud. His office has also criminally investigated at least 10 election workers, in a harbinger of potential post-midterm turmoil.
How to “Follow the Money” in a Political Campaign
Campaign contributions can be a confusing web of super PACs, FEC filings and dark money. That’s why we’re covering how campaign finance works in this edition of our User’s Guide to Democracy.
What Fortune 500 Companies Said After Jan. 6 vs. What They Did
A new ProPublica app tracks corporate contributions to election deniers. From GE to Boeing, here are some of the behemoths that proclaimed that they were suspending donations — then resumed giving to the very politicians they had sworn off.
How the Biden Administration Caved to Republicans on Fighting Election Disinformation
Despite a White House pledge to counter dangerous conspiracy theories, the Department of Homeland Security has pulled back on a comprehensive effort to address disinformation to help election workers.
A County Elections Director Stood Up to Locals Who Believe the Voting System Is Rigged. They Pushed Back Harder.
Even in a county where Trump won more than 70% of the 2020 vote, local election deniers have mounted a campaign to access voting machines and slash the elections director's pay.
Churches Are Breaking the Law by Endorsing in Elections, Experts Say. The IRS Looks the Other Way.
For nearly 70 years, federal law has barred churches from directly involving themselves in political campaigns, but the IRS has largely abdicated its enforcement responsibilities as churches have become more brazen about publicly backing candidates.
Tell Us How Religious Organizations in Your Area Involve Themselves in Elections
Federal law bars churches and other nonprofit groups from endorsing candidates or helping to fundraise, but we know they regularly sidestep — or flat-out ignore — these rules. Help us identify examples.
That Cardboard Box in Your Home Is Fueling Election Denial
A previously unreported boom in profits for the shipping supply giant Uline has provided the funds for a deeply conservative Midwestern family to bankroll anti-democracy causes around the country.
Greg Abbott’s Executive Power Play
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has consolidated power like none before him, at times circumventing the GOP-controlled Legislature and overriding local officials. A flurry of executive measures has solidified his base and raised his national profile.
How to Follow Your Congressional and Local Elections in 2022
From competitiveness ratings to campaign contributions, there’s a lot to follow in local and down-ballot elections. Learn how to decipher election coverage in this edition of the User’s Guide to Democracy.
What One Photographer Captured in Wisconsin’s Changing Election Climate
Sausage, speeches and anger: Political events and an unusual court case shape the mood in Wisconsin as Election Day approaches.
How to Outsmart Election Disinformation
The 2022 midterms are here, and so too is a wave of concerning new mis- and disinformation trends. Here’s how to tell the two apart — and what you and your loved ones can do to avoid falling for them.
How to Help People Vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections
Here are some ways you can help spread factual information about voting rights and resources ahead of the midterms.
Election Administrators Are Under Attack. Here’s What That Means for the Upcoming Midterms.
Harassment and threats have driven election officials to resign at unprecedented rates since the 2020 presidential election. David Becker, the founder of The Center for Election Innovation & Research, talked with ProPublica and The Texas Tribune about what that means for the future of our democracy.
D.C. Attorney General Opens Investigation Into Republican Governors’ Shipping of Immigrants to the Capital
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and others have been sending thousands of immigrants to Washington, D.C. Karl Racine, the district’s attorney general, is investigating whether immigrants have been deceived.
Who Is My Member of Congress? Here’s How to Find Out What Your Reps Have Been Up To.
Your representative is on the ballot in 2022 and your senator may be too. Here are some ways to see what your elected officials have been up to — as well as some background on how lawmaking works (and what it looks like when it doesn’t).
How Ron DeSantis Blew Up Black-Held Congressional Districts and May Have Broken Florida Law
DeSantis’ move, secretly aided by GOP-linked national operatives, came over the objections of the Republican-controlled state legislature.
Election Deniers Failed to Hand Wisconsin to Trump but Have Paved the Way for Future GOP Success
The stolen election myth has helped reshape this battleground state for the upcoming midterms and the 2024 presidential race.
How to Vote in Person or by Mail
Keep up with the latest changes to the voting process in your state for the 2022 elections, and make a plan if you want to cast your ballot early — either in person or by mail.
How America’s Democracy Is “Ripe to Be Exploited”
Why are so many people now embracing demagogues? Barbara Walter, political scientist and author of “How Civil Wars Start,” tells ProPublica that the vital signs of healthy democracy are in decline around the world.
Congress Works for You. Here’s How to Be a Better Boss.
Sign up to get eight personalized emails that teach you how to make a difference.
For Donald Trump, Information Has Always Been Power
People have wondered why the former president collected classified intel, speculating that he is just a packrat. But he has a long history of gathering and wielding sensitive info to help himself.
For Helping Voters Who Can’t Read, She’s Been Criminally Charged — Twice. That Hasn’t Stopped Her.
Olivia Coley-Pearson offered help to voters who struggle to read. For taking on one of America’s oldest forms of voter suppression, she got threats, a trip to jail and a reminder of the nation’s long legacy of weaponizing literacy.
New Voting Restrictions Could Make It Harder for 1 in 5 Americans to Vote
Across the country, from California to Georgia, people like Olivia Coley-Pearson and Faye Combs are working through stigma and increased restrictions as they help people who struggle to read exercise their right to vote.
ووٹ ڈالنے کا طریقہ: ایک فوری اور آسان رہنمائی
انگریزی نہ پڑھ پانے یا نہ لکھ پانے کے باوجود آپ کے پاس ووٹ ڈالنے کا حق ہے۔ یہ رہنمائی آپ کو مدد طلب کرنے، ووٹ ڈالنے کے طریقے اور مسائل ہونے پر کیا کرنا ہے اس بارے میں آپ کےحقوق کے بارے میں بتائے گا۔
كيفية التصويت: دليل سريع وبسيط
يحق لك التصويت حتى لو كنت لا تجيد التحدّث أو القراءة بالإنجليزية. وسيطلعك هذا الدليل على حقك بطلب المساعدة، وكيفية التصويت، وما يمكنك فعله إذا ما واجهتَ مشاكل في التصويت.
如何投票？請收好這份指南
無論你是否懂英語，你都擁有投票的權利。這份指南將幫助你了解這些問題：如何尋求幫助？如何投票？遇到問題該怎麽辦？
如何投票？请收好这份指南
无论你是否懂英语，你都拥有投票的权利。这份指南将帮助你了解这些问题：如何寻求帮助？如何投票？遇到问题该怎么办？
কীভাবে ভোট দিতে হয়: একটি দ্রুত এবং সহজ গাইড
আপনি ইংরেজিতে কথা বলতে না পারলে বা ইংরেজি না পড়তে পারলেও আপনার ভোট দেওয়ার অধিকার রয়েছে। আপনার সাহায্য চাওয়ার অধিকার, কীভাবে ভোট দিতে হয়, এবং আপনার সমস্যা হলে কী করতে হবে সে সম্পর্কে এই গাইডটি আপনাকে অবহিত করবে।
वोट देने के बारे में जानकारी: संक्षिप्त और आसान गाइड
अगर आप अंग्रेजी नहीं बोलते या पढ़ते हैं, तो भी आपको वोट देने का अधिकार है। इस गाइड से आप मदद मांगने के आपके अधिकार, वोट देने के तरीके और समस्या होने पर क्या करना है, इसके बारे में जान पाएंगे।
투표 방법: 간단하고 쉬운 안내서
영어를 읽거나 영어로 말하지 못하더라도 귀하는 투표할 권리가 있습니다. 이 안내서는 도움을 요청할 권리, 투표 방법 및 문제가 있는 경우 취해야 할 조치에 대해 설명합니다.
Paano Bumoto: Isang Mabilis at Madaling Gabay
May karapatan kang bumoto kahit hindi ka nakakapagsalita o nakakapagbasa ng Ingles. Ipapaalam sa iyo ng gabay na ito ang iyong karapatang humingi ng tulong, paano bumoto, at kung ano gagawin kung mayroon kang mga problema.
Cómo votar: una guía rápida y sencilla
Tiene el derecho de votar aunque no sepa hablar ni escribir en inglés. Esta guía le informa sobre su derecho de pedir ayuda, cómo votar y qué hacer si tiene problemas.
The Fight Against an Age-Old Effort to Block Americans From Voting
As a new wave of restrictions makes voting harder for people who struggle to read — now 1 in 5 Americans — Olivia Coley-Pearson has taken up the fight, even if it makes her a target.
Cách bỏ phiếu: Bản hướng dẫn nhanh chóng và dễ dàng
Quý vị có quyền bỏ phiếu thậm chí cho dù quý vị không biết nói hay đọc tiếng Anh. Bản hướng dẫn này sẽ chỉ cho quý vị cách yêu cầu giúp đỡ, cách bỏ phiếu và những gì cần làm nếu gặp phải vấn đề.
How to Vote: A Quick and Easy Guide
You have the right to vote even if you don’t speak or read English. This guide will tell you about your right to ask for help, how to vote and what to do if you have problems.
How We Analyzed Literacy and Voter Turnout
For decades, researchers have studied the factors that influence voter participation, including the impact of educational attainment on whether people vote. But literacy skills are less commonly examined. So we sought to understand the connection.
How to Fix America’s Confusing Voting System
Voting can be a convoluted obstacle course, especially for those who can’t read. Here are proven ways of fixing the system and enabling millions more voters to participate.
How a Billionaire’s “Attack Philanthropy” Secretly Funded Climate Denialism and Right-Wing Causes
Emails and interviews reveal privacy-obsessed electronics magnate Barre Seid’s long history of backing efforts to attack climate science, fight Medicaid expansion, and remake the higher education system in a conservative mold.
“The Human Psyche Was Not Built for This”
How Republicans in Montana hijacked public health and brought a hospital to the brink
How a Secretive Billionaire Handed His Fortune to the Architect of the Right-Wing Takeover of the Courts
In the largest known political advocacy donation in U.S. history, industrialist Barre Seid funded a new group run by Federalist Society co-chair Leonard Leo, who guided Trump’s Supreme Court picks and helped end federal abortion rights.
Republicans Turn Against the League of Women Voters
The league, long known for focusing on voter registration and other fundamentals, became more willing to speak boldly during the Trump era. Now, some on the right are portraying it as a tool of the radical left.
A Right-Wing Think Tank Claimed to Be a Church. Now, Members of Congress Want to Investigate.
Forty lawmakers are calling on the IRS and the Treasury to investigate after ProPublica reported that the Family Research Council gained protections by claiming it is a church.
A Government Official Helped Them Register. Now They’ve Been Charged With Voter Fraud.
Ten Florida men with felony convictions have been charged with voter fraud because prosecutors say they registered and voted illegally. Critics say the punishments are unfair.
Right-Wing Think Tank Family Research Council Is Now a Church in Eyes of the IRS
The FRC, a staunch opponent of abortion and LGBTQ rights, joins a growing list of activist groups seeking church status, which allows organizations to shield themselves from financial scrutiny.
How We Fight Back When Officials Resist Releasing Information You Have a Right to Know
Texas agencies have fought against releasing records that could help clarify the response to the Uvalde school shooting. The blanket denials are reminiscent of another tragic case one reporter covered years ago.
“Big Lie” Vigilantism Is on the Rise. Big Tech Is Failing to Respond.
Stolen-election activists and Trump supporters have embraced a new tactic in their campaign to unearth supposed proof of fraud in the 2020 presidential race: using social media to chase down a fictional breed of fraudster known as a “ballot mule.”
The Hypnotherapist and Failed Politician Who Helped Fuel the Never-Ending Hunt for Election Fraud in Wisconsin
How obscure retiree Jay Stone played a crucial, if little-known, role in making Wisconsin a hotbed of conspiracy theories that Democrats stole the state’s 10 electoral votes from Donald Trump.
Help ProPublica Investigate Threats to U.S. Democracy
We want to hear directly from the people involved in the administration of our elections — local clerks, canvassers, poll workers and more — about new challenges on the job.
Building the “Big Lie”: Inside the Creation of Trump’s Stolen Election Myth
Internal emails and interviews with key participants reveal for the first time the extent to which leading advocates of the rigged election theory touted evidence they knew to be disproven, disputed or dismissed as dubious.
What Increasingly Partisan and Venomous Wisconsin School Board Races Reveal About American Elections
As traditionally nonpartisan school board campaigns become polarized battlegrounds, voters in next week’s Wisconsin races may set the tone for how contentious races across the country will become this year.
New Documentary by Frontline and ProPublica Reveals Origins of the Stolen Election Myth
A group of people working from a plantation in South Carolina spread misinformation about the November 2020 election. These falsehoods have since become articles of faith for many Republicans.
Using Facebook’s Own Data to Understand the Platform’s Role in Jan. 6
A team of reporters from ProPublica and The Washington Post have obtained a unique dataset on Facebook groups, providing the clearest evidence yet that the social platform was an important source of misinformation that led to the Jan. 6 attack.
Billionaire-Backed Group Enlists Trump-Supporting Citizens to Hunt for Voter Fraud Using Discredited Techniques
The Voter Reference Foundation is putting the nation’s voter rolls online while making unsupported claims suggesting election fraud. The group’s funding can be traced to a Super PAC funded by the CEO of Uline.
House Committee Issues Subpoena to Top Trump Fundraiser Kimberly Guilfoyle
Guilfoyle, fiancee of Donald Trump Jr., boasted in text messages that she raised $3 million for the Jan. 6 rally. The demand for legal documents and a deposition is the first for a member of the Trump family’s inner circle.
Trump Just Endorsed an Oath Keeper’s Plan to Seize Control of the Republican Party
The “precinct strategy” widely promoted by Steve Bannon has already inspired thousands of Trump supporters to fill local GOP positions, intent on preventing a “stolen election.”
Let’s Recall What Exactly Paul Manafort and Rudy Giuliani Were Doing in Ukraine
President Trump’s former campaign chairman and former lawyer worked with, between them, a deposed authoritarian president, a bevy of oligarchs, Russia-oriented politicians and alleged Russian spies.
A Push to Remove LGBTQ Books in One County Could Signal Rising Partisanship on School Boards
A Texas county’s refusal to remove two books from the children’s section of the library sparked a yearslong political battle. Now school board races have taken on a deeply partisan tone, and elections serve as a purity test for far-right politics.
New Legal Filing Reveals Startling Details of Possible Fraud by Trump Organization
The filing, submitted by New York Attorney General Letitia James, comes several years after a ProPublica investigation revealed conflicting financial details the Trump Organization filed for its downtown Manhattan skyscraper at 40 Wall Street.
Facebook Hosted Surge of Misinformation and Insurrection Threats in Months Leading Up to Jan. 6 Attack, Records Show
A ProPublica/Washington Post analysis of Facebook posts, internal company documents and interviews, provides the clearest evidence yet that the social media giant played a critical role in spreading lies that fomented the violence of Jan. 6.
Recent Interviews Shed New Light on Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol
An updated documentary from ProPublica, FRONTLINE and Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program tracks the migration of fringe election conspiracies into the mainstream. It airs Tuesday, Jan. 4, at 10 p.m. EST.
How Steve Bannon Has Exploited Google Ads to Monetize Extremism
Google kicked Bannon off YouTube because of his violent rhetoric but still sent ad dollars to his website that promotes misinformation about the election and the pandemic.
Former Kentucky Secretary of State Faces Ethics Charges
Alison Lundergan Grimes, a onetime Democratic rising star and subject of a ProPublica series, is accused of using state resources for her political advantage.
Burr’s Brother-in-Law Called Stock Broker, One Minute After Getting Off Phone With Senator
According to the SEC, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, then chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, had material nonpublic information about coronavirus impact. He and his brother-in-law dumped stock before the market dropped in March 2020.
Oath Keepers in the State House: How a Militia Movement Took Root in the Republican Mainstream
A membership roster for the Oath Keepers, a violent extremist group whose followers have been charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection, includes state lawmakers, congressional candidates, and local government and GOP officials.
Top Trump Fundraiser Boasted of Raising $3 Million to Support Jan. 6 “Save America” Rally
Caroline Wren, who had worked on the Trump campaign, told associates she distributed funds to a number of political organizations backing the rally, including Tea Party Express and Turning Point.
Trump Won the County in a Landslide. His Supporters Still Hounded the Elections Administrator Until She Resigned.
Michele Carew, an elections administrator with 14 years of experience, has resigned after a monthslong campaign by Trump loyalists to oust her. “I’m leaving on my own accord,” she said.
“God’s Will Is Being Thwarted.” Even in Solid Republican Counties, Hard-Liners Seek More Partisan Control of Elections.
The political battle in one Texas county where Trump got 81% of the vote offers a rare view into the virulent distrust and unyielding pressure facing elections administrators.
January 6 Select Committee Subpoenas Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Other Top Aides
Citing a June ProPublica report, the committee says there is “credible evidence” of Meadows’ involvement in events leading up to the attack on the Capitol.
Heeding Steve Bannon’s Call, Election Deniers Organize to Seize Control of the GOP — and Reshape America’s Elections
The stolen election myth inspired thousands of Trump supporters to take over the Republican Party at the local level, exerting more partisan influence on how elections are run.
New Details Suggest Senior Trump Aides Knew Jan. 6 Rally Could Get Chaotic
Text messages and interviews show that Stop the Steal leaders fooled the Capitol police and welcomed racists to increase their crowd sizes, while White House officials worked to both contain and appease them.
What Parler Saw During the Attack on the Capitol
ProPublica sifted through thousands of videos taken by Parler users to create an immersive, first-person view of the Capitol riot as experienced by those who were there.
How to “Follow the Money” in an Election
You don’t have to be a journalist or investigator to see who is funding who when it comes to U.S. politics, especially during an election year. Here are some ways to see what’s at play in the national and local races that matter to you.
How to Follow a Local Political Race
While the presidential race has a tendency to hog the spotlight, there’s plenty more at stake every election year. Here’s help with understanding local races, and how to learn more about the candidates on your local ballot.
Who Is My Member of Congress? How to Find Out What Your Elected Officials Have Been Up To.
Whether you’re voting on a senator or a house representative in 2020, here are some ways to see what your elected officials have been up to — as well as some background on how the whole lawmaking works (and what it looks like when it doesn’t).
How to Spot (and Fight) Election Misinformation
Misinformation and disinformation, especially online, continue to play a huge role in the 2020 election. Learn more about the types of false information you’re likely to come across this year — and how you can help fight it.
A Guide to In-Person Voting vs. Mail-In Voting
In 2020, every state’s voting process has changed in response to the coronavirus. Regardless of whether you plan to vote in person or by mail, there are many things to consider. Here are some of the most important.
How to Vote During a Pandemic
From coronavirus to vote-by-mail, the 2020 election is shaping up to be even more confusing than most, which is saying something. Here’s how to figure out what the heck is going on this year and what you can do to participate in our democracy.
Politwoops: Explore the Tweets They Didn’t Want You to See
Politwoops tracks deleted tweets by public officials, including people currently in office and candidates for office.
Election DataBot
This new tool, updated every 15 minutes, collects huge amounts of election data and reports the most interesting details, in real time, about campaign finance filings, congressional votes, polls, forecasts, Google search trends, and more.
Represent: Browse Lawmakers, Votes and Bills
You can browse the latest votes and bills, see how often lawmakers vote against their parties and compare voting records.
FEC Itemizer: Browse Federal Campaign Finance Filings
Itemizer allows you to browse electronic campaign finance filings from the Federal Election Commission and to see individual contributions and expenditures reported by committees raising money for federal elections.
