Watchdog Group Founded In Aftermath of Jan 6: Democracy Still At Risk

Today, on the anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, Informing Democracy Executive Director Jenna Lowenstein issued the following statement:

“We started Informing Democracy in the aftermath of January 6th out of love for our country, which we believe can be strengthened through a public understanding of how our votes are counted and who certifies our elections.

“For most Americans, the days leading up to this attempted coup marked the first time they had heard about the normally-routine procedural step of certifying the presidential election. A void of information created space for lies and propaganda, fueling the organizing work of insurrectionists intent on overturning the free and fair elections.

“While the attack on January 6th was not the first attempt to destroy American democracy—nor will it be the last—it is an example of the terror that can result when rampant misinformation takes hold and when elected leaders attempt to subvert the will of the people to retain power.

“Our democracy is still at risk today. From Arizona to Pennsylvania to Michigan, we saw egregious attempts to spread misinformation and undermine the certification of elections following the 2022 midterms. The efforts, while thwarted this time, were a likely test run for 2024. As bad actors continue to peddle lies and probe vulnerabilities in the system, we must remain committed to educating Americans about the mechanics of our vote-counting and certification processes while also serving as a watchdog for extremists seeking to undermine our system of government.”