What does democracy have to do with your rent going up, your kid’s school changing its curriculum, or the hospital down the street staying open?
What happens when the people who run elections start quitting because the job has become dangerous, and no one notices until something breaks?
What happens when politics feels so loud, so bitter, and so endless that tuning out seems like the healthiest option?
And what happens when millions of ordinary Americans quietly decide that disengaging is more dangerous than participating?
These are not abstract questions for political insiders. They are questions about whether communities work, whether decisions feel legitimate, and whether people believe their voices still matter. In 2025, these questions shaped elections large and small. In 2026, the answers will matter even more.
American democracy does not survive on autopilot. It is sustained through habits, trust, and participation that must be renewed again and again. As One Nation Every Vote (OneV) looks back on 2025 and ahead to 2026, one truth becomes clear. Despite enormous pressure, democracy in the United States is still very much alive, and it remains profoundly shaped by everyday citizens.
2025: Pressure Tested the System, Participation Kept It Standing
National Rhetoric and Democratic Norms
In March 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections. The order sought to impose new federal requirements on voter registration and voting systems, including a documentary proof of citizenship requirement. Multiple states immediately challenged the order, arguing that election administration is largely delegated to states and Congress under the Constitution.
Federal courts blocked key provisions of the order, including the proof of citizenship requirement. The legal outcome reinforced a foundational democratic principle: no single leader controls American elections. At the same time, the episode intensified political conflict around election rules and further polarized public trust in election systems.
This moment mattered not because the order ultimately succeeded, but because it illustrated how democratic norms are tested. Courts held. States pushed back. The system absorbed pressure without breaking. That is not weakness. It is democratic resilience in action.
Local Elections Proved Where Democracy Actually Lives
While national politics dominated headlines, the most meaningful democratic action in 2025 often happened closer to home.
In New York City, the November 4 mayoral election produced the highest turnout for a mayoral race in more than thirty years. Zohran Mamdani won with just over 50 percent of the vote in a three-way contest against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. Voters were motivated less by party labels and more by urgent local issues such as housing affordability, public services, and the future of city governance. The election demonstrated that even in a politically saturated environment, people will show up when they believe outcomes affect their daily lives.
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, voters used ranked-choice voting to elect Michael J. Garcia as mayor after multiple rounds of redistribution. The process rewarded broader coalition-building and gave voters more meaningful choices. In Syracuse, New York, Sharon Owens became the city’s first Black mayor after a campaign centered on local leadership and civic trust. In Buffalo, Sean Ryan’s victory reflected continuity and stability valued by voters navigating economic and infrastructure challenges.
These elections mattered because democracy was not theoretical. It was about schools, roads, housing, policing, and whether communities felt heard. The lesson of 2025 was clear. When democracy feels relevant, people participate.
The Quiet Front Line: Election Officials
Behind every election are people most Americans never meet. In 2025, many of those people were under strain.
A Brennan Center survey found that a large share of local election officials feared harassment, political interference, or threats related to their work. Some had already experienced abuse. Others were considering leaving their positions altogether. This is a real risk to democracy, not because fraud is widespread, but because elections cannot function without trained, trusted administrators.
Importantly, states across the political spectrum responded. Legislatures introduced and passed laws increasing penalties for threatening election workers, funding security upgrades, and publicly affirming the legitimacy of election administration. These steps did not make headlines, but they mattered. They showed that democracy is still being defended institutionally, even when the noise suggests otherwise.
Young Americans: Skeptical but Still Engaged
The 2025 Harvard Youth Poll revealed declining trust among young Americans in political institutions. Many expressed frustration and doubt that government responds to their needs. Yet that skepticism did not translate into apathy.
Young people organized around climate policy, housing, gun safety, student debt, and voting access. They showed up in protests, local organizing, and issue-based campaigns. This is not disengagement. It is a shift in how participation looks. History suggests that democracies survive not because citizens feel optimistic all the time, but because they keep pushing even when they are skeptical.
Trust, Fatigue, and What the Media Often Gets Wrong
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 57 percent of Americans believe democracy is in danger. That concern is real, but the way it is often framed can obscure important truths.
The greatest threats to democracy in 2026 are not sudden authoritarian collapse or mass voter fraud. Those risks are frequently overstated. The more serious dangers are quieter. Voter fatigue. Disengagement. The belief that individual participation no longer matters.
History, both in the United States and globally, shows that democracies erode when citizens withdraw. Not because power is seized overnight, but because fewer people are paying attention. That is the risk worth focusing on, and it is also the risk most within our control.
2026: The Stakes and the Opportunity
The 2026 midterms will shape Congress, state governments, and policies that affect voting rights, education, housing, and healthcare. Turnout will be lower than in presidential years, which means individual participation will matter more, not less.
President Trump’s influence will remain significant. His rhetoric and policy priorities will continue to shape debate, mobilize supporters, and alarm critics. Some of this influence is outside the control of average citizens. But the structure of elections, the independence of courts, and the administration of ballots remain largely intact.
Protecting democracy is not about ensuring a specific candidate wins. It is about ensuring that whoever wins does so through a process that is fair, transparent, and trusted. That is the foundation that makes all political disagreement legitimate.
What Is Actually Within Our Control
Average Americans cannot control national rhetoric. They cannot single-handedly stop misinformation. But they can do more than they are often told.
They can vote in primaries, local elections, and midterms, where turnout is low and impact is high. They can verify information before sharing it and help slow the spread of falsehoods. They can talk about voting as a normal civic habit, not a partisan weapon. They can support election workers publicly and challenge efforts to intimidate them. They can back organizations focused on access, education, and civic storytelling.
Democracy does not require perfection. It requires participation.
A Holiday Reflection and Call to Action
As the year comes to a close and the holiday season begins, OneV wishes you and your loved ones peace, rest, and connection. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or simply time together, remember that democracy is strongest when communities care for one another.
You can help strengthen that work. Subscribe at https://onev.vote and help us reach more Americans with clear, accessible stories about voting and civic life.
You can also support our mission by donating at https://secure.anedot.com/one-nation-every-vote-inc/onevdonate. Every contribution helps increase participation and protect the foundation of our democracy.
American democracy does not rest. And in 2026, neither should we.
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