Poll reveals alarming level of fear of whether 2024 elections will be 'fair,' ballot counting accurate

Video Analysis: Biden's Potential Anti-Trump Focus in 2024? A panel on the 'Special Report' discusses President Biden's strategy for the upcoming 2024 elections. A recent poll published on Thursday uncovered a significant concern among U.S citizens about the fairness of the 2024 elections, as well as the accuracy of the ballot counting. As per the survey carried out by Suffolk University/ USA Today, 46% of Republican voters are skeptical about the fairness of the ballot count and its subsequent reporting after the general elections take place this November.

Among those who support the former President, Donald Trump, who believes he was wrongfully deprived of a victory in the 2020 elections, 52% were uncertain about the correct count of the ballots. Chester County, Pa. experienced an influx of mail-in and absentee ballots which staff members processed at West Chester University in early November, 2020. The survey witnessed a significant disparity when focusing on registered Democrats, with 81% confidently asserting their faith in the fairness of the upcoming 2024 elections. In comparison, only 14% of Republicans shared this sentiment.

However, it was observed that the vast majority of voters (83%) were apprehensive about threats to democracy, though their perception of the real threat varied. Trump was deemed the primary threat by 18%, while 10% associated the threat with governmental corruption and dysfunctionality, and 8% associated it with immigration and open borders. Voters were divided evenly when associating threats to democracy with a political party; both Democrats and Republicans were blamed equally by 40% of the voters.

The majority of voters (59%) agreed that the participants involved in the U.S Capitol riot that happened on January 6, 2021, should face criminal penalties with 32% opposing this view and voicing their demand for a reversal. Consequently, fewer people held Trump accountable for the riot, 43% compared to the 48% in 2021. Conversely, 28% of voters expressed the view that Trump was not to blame, a figure which remained constant.

Regarding the legal cases against Trump in Georgia, Washington, D.C., and New York, 52% voiced approval, with the majority being Democrats (96%). Conversely, 43% considered these legal proceedings to be unfair and sought their reversal, predominantly Republicans (85%). Independent voters were somewhat divided with 48% to 42% approving the prosecutions and 9% still undecided.

In a theoretical competition between Trump and Biden, Trump marginally leads by 44-43%. However, when a third-party option was considered, Trump's lead increased to 39-37%. Stay updated with the latest from the 2024 election campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more from the Fox News Digital election center. Brandon Gillespie, Associate Editor at Fox News, can be followed on X at @BGillespieAL.