A Great Day for Democracy: Key Lessons From the 2025 Elections

Election Day 2025 was a great day for democracy. 

Voters across the country showed up in record numbers to reject President Trump’s election agenda and to make clear they trust the system of checks and balances that keeps our elections free, fair, and secure. Even before polls closed, however, a familiar playbook was unfolding — with conspiracy theorists and their allies declaring the process “RIGGED” without any evidence to support their claims. 

Here’s a look at what happened on November 4, 2025 — and what it can tell us about the state of our democracy heading into the 2026 midterms. 

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Voters Showed Up Early — and in Record Numbers

In states across the country, voters turned out in record numbers to exercise their freedom to vote. Early, in-person voting policies helped facilitate voter turnout in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia. 

• In New York City, voters hit the polls in record-breaking numbers on Tuesday, with turnout reaching more than two million — a level not seen in a mayoral election since 1969. That includes the over 730,000 votes cast during the nine days of in-person early voting. 
• New Jersey saw record-setting turnout — casting over 3.2 million votes, with every county in the state seeing at least a 10% increase in turnout from the last gubernatorial election. Over 740,000 New Jersey voters cast a ballot during the state’s nine-day in-person early voting period, which was enacted by the state legislature in 2021. The number of early in-person voters nearly matched the combined total of early in-person votes and vote-by-mail ballots returned in 2021. 
• Virginia also saw its highest turnout for any non-presidential election, with over 3.3 million voters casting ballots in this year’s election, which featured statewide offices and state legislative seats. Early in-person voting increased sharply compared to the 2021 gubernatorial election, with 1.1 million Virginians casting early in-person ballots in 2025, up from roughly 850,000 in 2021.  

Voters Rejected Trump’s Elections Agenda

Ever since Trump began attacking mail voting several years ago, this secure and popular voting method has been a key target at the state level. However, the 2025 electorate reaffirmed public trust in and reliance on vote-by-mail: 

• In Virginia and New Jersey, over one million voters cast their ballots by mail, despite the Trump administration’s best efforts to “get rid of mail ballots.”
• California’s universal mail-in ballot system enabled more than 10 million voters to issue a sharp rebuke against Trump’s scheme to consolidate power through mid-cycle gerrymandering. 
• Maine voters handily rejected a ballot measure that would have sharply restricted voting by mail. Over 63% of voters voted “no” to the proposal that would have taken away voters’ ability to sign up to receive mail ballots for each election, limited drop boxes, and shortened the early voting period. The measure would also have imposed strict photo ID requirements for in-person and mail voting, without accessible alternatives for eligible voters who lack such ID.

Notably, Maine became the second state in recent years to have voters reject a ballot measure seeking to impose strict ID requirements, following Arizona voters’ rejection of a similar measure in 2022. While some voter ID laws may be popular, the public recognizes the importance of ensuring backup options are in place for eligible voters who lack a qualifying ID.

Where We Go From Here

This week’s results reaffirm the strength and resilience of American democracy — but they also highlight the importance of safeguarding them in the future. Anti-democratic attacks have only escalated in the days following the election, from demanding new rules to filing lawsuits seeking to overturn legitimate results. Just hours after President Trump attacked California’s mail voting system, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced an incoming executive order on elections targeting mail voting. 

For example, prominent voices, including Elon Musk and Eric Trump, elevated unfounded and easily debunked claims of voter fraud based on an alleged misunderstanding of New York City’s long-established fusion voting system. An Arizona senator shared a video of a bipartisan team of election workers simply collecting ballots from an overstuffed drop box, and conspiracy theorists exploited it, leading to threats against Pima County election officials. Chester County (PA) election officials made a significant error when setting up their poll books for Election Day — and anti-democratic voices seized on it as an example of fraud, sparking broader backlash.

Against these growing threats, we cannot take free and fair elections for granted. Our recent report, “Four Essential Steps States Can Take to Safeguard Our Elections,” outlines practical measures state policymakers can adopt to ensure future elections remain accountable to the public, trusted by voters, and free from political manipulation:

1. Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date voter registration lists.
2. Deliver preliminary election results in a timely manner.
3. Test and verify election results to ensure accuracy.
4. Ensure verified results are certified on time.

States must pave the way to free and fair elections. By adopting these best practices, state lawmakers and election administrators across the country can protect and preserve our democracy in 2026.