Short Official Messages Can Raise Voter Trust Despite Partisan Polarization

Why This Study?

Trust in election outcomes has become increasingly politicized in the United States, raising concerns about the stability of democratic processes and peaceful transfers of power. Jennifer Gaudette, Seth J. Hill, Thad Kousser, Mackenzie Lockhart, and Mindy Romero ask whether communications from election officials can overcome partisan divisions and rebuild confidence in election administration.

Where and How They Tested It

The authors partnered with local and state election officials in Los Angeles County, Colorado, Georgia, and Texas to run large-scale messaging experiments just after the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. Nearly 8,500 American respondents were exposed to short (about 30-second) official video messages or informational videos explaining election protections. The design compares recipients’ trust in their own state’s elections and in elections more broadly, and measures effects relative to pre-existing partisan differences.

What They Found

• A single 30-second message from state or local election officials significantly raised trust in respondents’ own state elections. The average effect was roughly one-fifth of the pre-treatment gap in trust between Democrats and Republicans.
• Videos that explained safeguards for election integrity in Arizona and Virginia also produced increases in trust outside respondents’ home states, indicating some cross-jurisdictional spillover.
• Effects were consistent across the diverse jurisdictions included in the study, suggesting that official, nonpartisan communication can cut through partisan signaling.

Implications for Democratic Trust

These results show that trusted election administrators can play an active role in restoring confidence in electoral processes. Short, factual messages from official sources produced measurable improvements in trust, even amid strong partisan polarization. The findings point to a practical tool—targeted official communication—that may help safeguard the legitimacy of elections and the norms surrounding peaceful power transitions.