Freedom House Launches New US Democracy Tracker, Identifies Serious Concerns

WASHINGTON—Freedom House, in partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, today launched the US Democracy Tracker, a new, quarterly assessment of democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms in the United States. The inaugural edition identifies government accountability and freedom of the media as areas of “serious concern.”

“Near record-high numbers of Americans just exercised their civic duty to vote in the midterm elections. Yet a robust democracy is defined not simply by elections, but by how our constitutional freedoms are protected in practice. Our new US Democracy Tracker offers a vital measure of the state of our freedoms at an important time in our democracy,” said Jamie Fly, CEO of Freedom House. 

Since 1973, Freedom House has assessed political rights and civil liberties in over 200 countries and territories. The US Democracy Tracker is derived from the same rigorous research methods to assess conditions crucial to democracy in the United States. It examines eight categories including free elections, political competition, accountability, access to justice, media freedom, and other fundamental rights.

Key findings from the inaugural US Democracy Tracker include:

• Congressional dysfunction and executive overreach have seriously affected the basic functions of government. Safeguards against corruption continued to erode, and government transparency came under strain.
• Media freedom is increasingly under assault. The presidential administration and regulatory agencies have subpoenaed journalists to gain access to confidential sources, limited access to government officials, and threatened legal action.

The first issue covers developments from July 1 through October 16, 2026, and does not assess the November 3 midterm elections. The US Democracy Tracker will be published quarterly to provide continued assessments of the state of American democracy.

The full text is available here.

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About Freedom House

Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free. It informs the world about threats to freedom, mobilizes global action, and supports democracy’s defenders. 

About the Charles F. Kettering Foundation

The Charles F. Kettering Foundation, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, operating foundation with a mission to advance inclusive democracies worldwide by fostering citizen engagement, promoting government accountability, and countering authoritarianism.