Full Breakdown
Building Civic Homes to Re-energize America’s Disaffected Electorate
7/26/2026, 8:13:10 PM
Core Findings of the New Study
A recent multiracial survey conducted by Sojourn Strategies, Ariel Research Partners and researcher Richard Shafranek identified that 35 % of the U.S. electorate—about 85 million people—are “disaffected.” These adults report high disillusionment and low trust in government, yet they are demographically similar to the broader population in terms of race, ethnicity and gender. The disaffected tend to be younger, have fewer financial resources and are less likely to hold a college degree.
Key Statistics on Civic Engagement
- 58 % of disaffected respondents say they want stronger connections with other people.
- 49 % report no affiliation with any online, religious, labor-union or political community.
- Conversational and informational activity mirrors the general public: 60 % discuss politics with friends or family (vs. 61 % overall) and 42 % search online for political information (identical to the overall rate).
- Voting intent diverges sharply: 65 % of the overall electorate say they would vote if a midterm election were held today, compared with 56 % of the disaffected group.
Why Belonging Matters
The researchers argue that “civic homes”—local spaces where people meet, feel heard, and collaborate on shared issues—can convert the desire for connection into concrete political action. Their analysis shows that even modest increases in feelings of belonging within such spaces are linked to significant rises in voting and other civic participation.
On-the-Ground Illustrations
Angeles, Nevada
Angeles, a car-wash supervisor in Nevada, struggled with low wages and rent insecurity. After an organizer from Make the Road Nevada invited her to a monthly membership meeting, she heard neighbors voice similar hardships. The experience gave her a sense of being seen, connected her to “Know Your Rights” workshops, and taught her the voting process. This year she will cast her first ballot as a U.S. citizen, motivated not by a campaign but by the community that engaged her.
Elnora Gavin, Michigan
Elnora Gavin, working with We the People Michigan, organized a grassroots base that secured $114 million in school-debt relief for majority-Black districts in the state. Her success exemplifies how local organizing can translate collective agency into tangible policy outcomes.
Official Assessment of the Democratic Challenge
The authors of the study contend that the United States stands at a crossroads between democracy and authoritarianism. They assert that the prevailing view of the disaffected as apathetic is inaccurate; instead, these citizens care deeply about families, neighbors and community progress but lack a perceived link between voting and personal improvement. Consequently, investment in organizers who create civic homes is presented as a critical remedy to the current democratic crisis.
Broader Implications
If civic homes can reliably boost belonging, the downstream effect may be a more resilient democratic system—one where participation is driven by relational ties rather than transactional appeals. Strengthening such spaces could also mitigate the isolation that fuels authoritarian narratives, thereby reinforcing democratic norms at the community level.
What Remains Unclear
The study does not specify the scale of resources required to expand civic homes nationwide, nor does it identify which institutional partners (e.g., labor unions, faith groups) are most effective at fostering lasting belonging. Further research is needed to determine optimal models for replication across diverse local contexts.
