Protected tens of thousands of voters from disfranchisement, intimidation, suppression, and election manipulation, and secured new precedents around the Ku Klux Klan Act and the Voting Rights Act.
Protecting Free & Fair Elections
Our Work
Without free, fair, and secure elections, voters have no voice, little control over the direction of the country; and few ways to correct course when things go awry.

Elections are the linchpin of our democracy. Holding elections, and ensuring that power changes hands in accordance with their outcomes, is the essence of democratic self-government. By defending them, we also protect our rights and our system of government.
This takes two steps. First, we defend the process of holding elections. We do so by making sure election officials are allowed to do their work without interference; that election systems are secure; and that politicians are unable to dictate the outcome or manipulate election rules.
Second, we protect voters’ ability to participate meaningfully in the process, free from intimidation and harassment.
By ensuring that elections remain free, fair, and secure, we maintain our collective ability to shape the future of the country — or, when needed, to change course. In that, we protect voters’ trust in the results, even when their preferred candidates lose.
- Build secure, accessible, and accurate election systems and processes that are free from interference from foreign adversaries or domestic political actors.
- Create guardrails that ensure voters and candidates abide by the outcomes of every election.
- Foster public confidence in the fact that elections are free, fair, and secure.
Helped defend the 2020, 2022, and 2024 elections from attempts to manipulate and subvert a free and fair result, and assisted in the passage of reforms to the Electoral Count Act.

Defending the rights of eligible voters
Protect Democracy filed a lawsuit in 2024 to restore the rights of eligible voters in the state of Virginia.
October 7, 2024

The Shortlist: Seven Ways Platforms Can Prepare for the U.S. 2024 Election
Protect Democracy has produced four recommendations to inform preparations to safeguard the information ecosystem surrounding the U.S. general election.
March 12, 2024

The Shortlist: Messaging Platform Recommendations
These four recommendations will ensure messaging platforms are ready for global elections through 2024.
March 11, 2024

The Shortlist: Social Media Platform Recommendations
These four recommendations will ensure social media platforms are ready for global elections through 2024.
March 11, 2024

The Shortlist: Generative AI Platform Recommendations
These four recommendations will ensure generative AI platforms are ready for global elections through 2024.
March 11, 2024

A Democracy Crisis in the Making
How state legislators are politicizing, criminalizing, and interfering with election administrators.
December 7, 2023

A Democracy Crisis in the Making
How state legislators are politicizing, criminalizing, and interfering with election administrators.
June 8, 2023

The Authoritarian Playbook
How reporters can cover and distinguish threats from politics-as-usual
June 15, 2022

Undermining Free & Fair Elections: An Update on the Risk of Election Crises Since November 2020
This report highlights some of the most concerning trends that have developed from January to June 2021, and the critical reforms that are needed to protect our elections in 2022 and after.
July 14, 2021

Partisan Election Review Efforts in Five States
The reviews, both proposed and ongoing, fail to satisfy basic security, accuracy, and reliability measures.
July 8, 2021

Strengthening our Elections and Preventing Election Crises: Lessons and Recommendations from the 2020 General Election
This National Task Force on Election Crises report on strengthening our elections and preventing election crises covers lessons learned from the 2020 General Election, and recommendations for reforms.
January 25, 2021