Fact Check: Are voters using AI to get information about the 2026 midterm elections?
WASHINGTON, DC: As the 2026 midterm elections draw closer, some Americans are turning to AI tools for information about candidates, political issues, and voting. Recent research shows that voters are using AI to understand election-related topics, but questions remain about the accuracy of the information these tools provide. Let’s fact-check the claim.
Claim: Voters turn to AI chatbots for election information ahead of 2026 midterms
AI has become part of everyday life, helping people find news, generate images, answer research questions, write emails, and more.
Concerns about AI have also entered American politics. Recent research suggests that the 2026 midterm elections are driving another use of AI as some voters turn to chatbots for election information.
Concerns about AI have also entered American politics. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are considering regulations, while President Donald Trump has opposed efforts to rein in the technology. AI leaders have urged the government to slow its development.
The issue even brought political opponents, Democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders and conservative Trump ally Steve Bannon, together at an event in Washington, DC.
The debate comes as the November midterm elections approach. Researchers say some people are using AI to learn more about candidates, political issues and other election-related information.
Fact Check: The claim is true
The claim is true. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Chara Podimata said, "We started hearing from friends around us that they have been using chatbots in order to obtain information about elections. So we started thinking about, 'How does a chatbot that knows some information about you potentially change the information that it gives you with regard to elections?'"
According to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, about 10% of Americans report using chatbots to get news. In a September 3 report, Valeria de la Fuente, Max Read and Peter Benzoni wrote, “While recent surveys show only a small proportion of American voters knowingly turn to AI chatbots for information about politics and elections, this share is likely to grow in the coming years.”
A voter poll conducted by the Rainey Center and released in June 2026 found that 9% of voters had used AI for political information. The poll also found that voters would use AI for several election-related tasks, including understanding candidate positions, comparing candidates, learning how to vote, fact-checking claims, and summarizing news or political topics.
The Rainey Center also noted that while only 9% of respondents actively used AI for political information, more people are already encountering AI-generated or AI-influenced content through Google, TikTok, and social search without realizing it.
Researchers found that AI can help push back against election misinformation in some cases. However, other researchers have warned that chatbots can easily generate misleading election-related images and videos.
The authors wrote, “This, along with other findings from our study, suggests that in an ongoing election with little authoritative information for models to rely on, AI may not be as helpful in pushing back against unsubstantiated rumors and misinformation.”
