A professor in the Department of Political Science and the Director of the Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability, Michael Neblo recently testified before the U.S. Congress subcommittee about the kinds of constituent engagement citizens actually prefer and how technology, particularly AI, can help Congressional offices deliver more of it.
New survey research from IDEA for the House Subcommittee on Modernization shows that Americans haven’t given up on democracy; they just want it to listen better.
Public trust in Congress is near historic lows. Only 13 percent of respondents say they trust Congress to do what’s right most of the time, and 55 percent disapprove of how it’s handling its job. Yet the same national survey of 1,001 U.S. adults finds something encouraging: 70% of Americans are willing to engage more directly with their elected officials when those opportunities feel authentic and meaningful. This was one of the major findings from a survey conducted by IDEA in collaboration with the Modernization Subcommittee.
IDEA Director Michael Neblo testifies before the subcommittee about the kinds of constituent engagement citizens actually prefer and how technology, particularly AI, can help Congressional offices deliver more of it. Longtime IDEA colleagues Aubrey Wilson of PopVox and Beth Novak of GovLab also testified about using AI in constituent engagement.
He highlighted four main findings from the survey. His testimony is available on YouTube.
1. Frustration is not apathy.
Many citizens want to participate but doubt that reaching out will matter. Forty percent believe their members of Congress “don’t care about my concerns,” and a third think lawmakers “won’t change their minds.” These doubts stem less from apathy than from years of perceived unresponsiveness. People withdraw not because they don’t care about politics, but because they no longer believe the government cares about them.
2. Access Helps—Authenticity Matters More
Most communication with Congress now happens through email or online petitions. These channels are easy to use but rarely feel personal. Congressional offices, flooded with digital messages, often struggle to identify which reflect genuine constituent sentiment. This cycle of communication overload and low trust leaves both sides frustrated. By contrast, opportunities for direct, two-way dialogue—like town halls, deliberative forums, or structured small-group conversations that promote authenticity and substance—are consistently rated as the most effective and trusted forms of engagement.
3. Technology Is No Substitute for Listening
Americans are open to innovation but cautious about automation and AI. Only 10 percent view AI chatbots as an effective way to communicate with Congress. While such tools could help offices manage workload, people still value the human connection that builds trust. The data suggests that AI could or should support Congressional staff capacity, ie, synthesizing constituent feedback or identifying emerging issues, without replacing the relational work of listening.
4. Meaningful Participation Builds Legitimacy
When people see their input shaping real decisions, enthusiasm soars. Over 70 percent of respondents said they would like to help determine which local programs receive federal funding. Transparent, inclusive processes make citizens feel respected and represented—even when they disagree with outcomes.
The survey was conducted by IDEA and the Subcommittee on Modernization between August 20 and October 2, 2025, with a nationally representative sample of 1,001 U.S. adults. It builds on two decades of IDEA research on deliberative town halls and emerging work on AI’s role in public engagement.