{
  "id": 7775153,
  "title": "Fewer than half of Americans expect free and fair midterms",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/fewer-than-half-of-americans-expect-free-and-fair-midterms",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-16T11:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-americans-free-fair-midterms.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new survey from the University of California San Diego reveals that fewer than half of Americans expect the upcoming 2026 midterm elections to be free and fair, with only 49% of voters expressing confidence. The survey of 5,016 American adults, conducted from September 1 to 9, also found that trust in the accuracy of national vote counts has significantly dropped since the 2024 presidential election. This decline in confidence is evident among all partisan groups, with independents showing the most pronounced decrease. Concerns about AI deepfakes and election integrity measures, such as federal immigration officers at polling places, were prominent across party lines, though the impact on voter confidence varied significantly by political affiliation.",
  "summary": "Americans are heading into the 2026 midterm elections with widespread uncertainty about the integrity of the vote, according to a new national survey from the University of California San Diego.",
  "key_points": [
    "Only 49% of Americans expect free and fair 2026 midterms.",
    "Trust in national vote accuracy dropped post-2024 election.",
    "AI deepfakes and new election integrity measures concern voters across parties."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}