The most important elections in America today are not in Washington. They are happening in local school board races, mayoral contests, and ballot measures across the country. These are the places where democracy actually lives. And they are powered by people’s trust in the organizations around them.
According to Independent Sector’s Trust in Nonprofits and Philanthropy 2025 report, 57 percent of Americans say they have high trust in nonprofits, more than in government, corporate America, or the media. That trust is the backbone of democracy on display today.
Across the country, local nonprofits, faith groups, and community organizations have spent months registering voters, sharing information, and helping neighbors cast their ballots. They have reached people who national campaigns often miss: young voters, new Americans, renters, and families juggling multiple jobs. This is the quiet but essential work that makes today possible.
That trust also drives civic action far beyond the ballot box. The U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps report that Americans volunteered nearly 5 billion hours last year, contributing the equivalent of 167 billion dollars in service. That is not a side story. It is the civic infrastructure that sustains our democracy between elections.
At Nonprofit VOTE, we see the connection firsthand. When nonprofits help their communities engage, voter participation rises. And when people vote, they are more likely to volunteer, give, and advocate for change. Candidates for office are also more likely to solicit their input on the campaign trail. The result is not only a stronger democracy but stronger, more resilient communities.
Yet even as millions of people cast their ballots today, national attention is already shifting to 2026. Commentators are dissecting Senate maps and speculating about the next presidential race. When the spotlight moves on, support for this local civic work too often moves with it. Nonprofits are left to rebuild from scratch before the next big election.
If we want participation to grow, we cannot keep starving the roots that sustain it. Local democracy is not a warm-up act. It is the foundation of every other part of our democratic system.
The lesson of this year is not simply that democracy survived another election. It is how it survived: through the persistence of local organizations that never stopped showing up and through neighbors who see civic engagement as part of caring for one another.
As we look ahead to 2026 and our nation’s 250th anniversary, funders, policymakers, and national leaders should take note. Democracy is not maintained by the noise of national politics. It is built every day by local organizations and community leaders who keep people connected, informed, and involved.
So on this Election Day, do not shift the spotlight away. Widen it. Keep it focused on the people and organizations who make democracy work every single day.
