Common Cause today released initial results of its Our Democracy 2022 candidate questionnaire in the leadup to the first election since January 6th. With two months to go before Election Day, more than 100 candidates for Congress, including in certain swing House and Senate races, responded on how they promise to defend and strengthen our democracy.

Respondents answered “yes” or “no” to 20 questions on topics from amplifying small donors, to ending gerrymandering and allowing same-day voter registration. Whether candidates would support the Freedom to Vote Act, repair and strengthen the Voting Rights Act, and modify the filibuster were among the included questions.

“It is vitally important that every American knows where their candidates stand on protecting democracy in the wake of January 6^th and its lingering threat,” said Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn. “This survey asks for candidate commitments to take concrete steps to protect and strengthen our democracy. We the people deserve answers – especially at a time when our democracy remains under attack.”

Many of the reforms included in the questionnaire have passed with strong bipartisan support at the state and local level.

The initial release of Our Democracy 2022 comes after Common Cause published its Democracy Scorecard earlier this month, which provides data on every current member of Congress based on their votes for, or cosponsorship of, key democracy reform bills.

“If candidates haven’t answered the survey, we give voters the tools to get every candidate for Congress on the record about their willingness and commitment to defend our democracy,” said Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs.  “And after the election we will work to help voters hold officials accountable to the promises they make in the Our Democracy 2022 survey.

Some Common Cause state chapters also posed survey questions to state and local candidates.

As we enter the final stretch before Election Day, Common Cause is asking voters to get more candidates on the record. We’re activating our 1.5 million members to take the following three steps:

• Visit the website link and enter your home address
• Check out the candidates on your ballot — and see if they’ve completed the survey
• If they haven’t — email, call, and tweet at them to demand they go on the record with just one click!

“Between now and Election Day, candidates who don’t answer the survey will hear from voters who want to know where they stand. We must make sure candidates know how important democracy issues are to voters — and that we expect them to let us know where they stand on our common-sense democracy solutions,” Flynn said. “And after the election, we must keep mobilizing to hold the winners accountable to the promises they made — so we can strengthen our democracy in 2023 and beyond.”

The Our Democracy 2022 questionnaire’s sole purpose is to advance the issues being addressed. Common Cause does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office.

To view the initial results of Our Democracy 2022, click here.