Most Americans say democracy important for US, but not functioning well: Survey

Most Americans say democracy is important to the U.S.’ identity, but that the nation’s democratic system is not functioning well, according to a new poll.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found 76 percent of Americans saying “a democratically elected government” is extremely or very important to the U.S.’ identity as a nation. Only 13 percent of Americans said that “a democratically elected government” is somewhat important. Nine percent said it is not too important or not at all important to the U.S.’s national identity.

Survey respondents didn’t display much faith in the country’s ability to function as a democracy, though. More than half of Americans surveyed — at 53 percent — said they believed the U.S. is a “poorly functioning democracy,” while 31 percent said they think the nation is a “well functioning democracy.”

American democracy is a focal point for President Biden’s reelection campaign, saying it “is on the ballot” in a January speech — his first major general election speech of the 2024 cycle.

“Your freedom is on the ballot,” Biden said in the speech, given near Valley Forge, Pa.

Biden also said former President Donald Trump is “willing to sacrifice democracy to put himself in power,” during the speech.

The new AP-NORC poll also found 91 percent of U.S. adults said the right to vote is either extremely or very important to the nation’s identity. Eighty-four percent of Americans also said freedom of religion is extremely or very important to the nation’s identity.

The AP-NORC poll was conducted between March 21 and 25, featuring a sample of 1,282 people, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.