Partisan divides

Partisan divides color Americans' election security views, survey shows

By ERIC GELLER

Two-thirds of Americans believe Russia or other countries will try to digitally disrupt the midterm elections, with Democrats far more likely than Republicans to believe and worry about it, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Eighty percent of Democrats say election interference is somewhat or very likely, compared to only 53 percent of Republicans.

The poll comes one week before the Nov. 6 elections and follows reports from top law enforcement and intelligence officials and social media companies about continued Russian disinformation operations aimed at influencing the election.

The Trump administration says it has made combating election interference a top priority, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen this weekend told "Fox News Sunday" that the U.S. is "more prepared than we've ever been."

But as in other areas, partisan attitudes are affecting the public's confidence in the administration's ability to thwart election interference.

Of the Democrats who predict it will happen, 83 percent consider it a major problem, compared to only 47 percent of the Republicans who predict it will happen.

Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to believe U.S. election systems are secure (59 percent versus 34 percent) and that federal officials are “making serious efforts” to prevent disruptions (72 percent versus 43 percent).

Americans are also divided about their own states’ efforts. Nearly 80 percent of Republicans in GOP-controlled states express confidence in their states’ preparations, compared to only 55 percent of Democrats in those states. The gap is much smaller (69 percent versus 67 percent) in Democratic-controlled states.

Overall, only 45 percent of Americans express confidence in the security of election systems nationwide, while two-thirds of Americans express confidence in the security of their states’ systems.

A bare majority (55 percent) of Americans is at least somewhat confident that federal officials are working hard to protect the election from hackers, while slightly more Americans (63 percent) say the same about their states’ governments.