Scholar Warns Pandemic and Elections Eroded Democratic Accountability

KU professor analyzes how crises transgressed democratic norms and standards

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A scholar at the University of Kansas has published an analysis outlining how the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 U.S. presidential election were "critical events" that led to the transgression or rupture of specific democratic accountability standards. The study examines how these twin crises politicized public health and undermined trust in the electoral process, eroding democratic norms and institutions.

Why it matters

This research provides a framework for understanding how major crises can disrupt democratic principles and accountability, with lasting impacts on public trust and the functioning of democratic institutions. As the U.S. continues to grapple with the legacy of these events, the scholar's work offers insights into preserving democratic standards during times of upheaval.

The details

The study, published in the journal Perspectives on Public Management and Governance, applied a set of seven democratic accountability standards to detailed timelines of the pandemic and election crises. The author found that both events transgressed standards related to reason and truthfulness, forbearance toward democratic institutions, and professional discretion in government operations. For example, the study cites former President Trump's spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and his false claims of election fraud as undermining these democratic principles.

  • The COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 U.S. presidential election occurred in 2020 and early 2021.
  • The study was recently published in February 2026.

The players

Christopher Koliba

The Edwin O. Steene Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs & Administration at the University of Kansas and the director of KU's Center for Democratic Governance.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States whose actions and rhetoric during the pandemic and election were found to have transgressed democratic accountability standards.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The U.S. public health agency whose professional discretion was undermined during the pandemic response, according to the study.

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What they’re saying

“To make meaning out of current political events, we need better empirical standards for determining when democratic norms are upheld and when they are transgressed.”

— Christopher Koliba, Edwin O. Steene Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs & Administration (Perspectives on Public Management and Governance)

“As a public administration scholar, this is concerning. If a CEO of a manufacturing company said 'don't buy our product,' they'd be fired in a minute. But the president undermined the very systems he was leading and entrusting to provide valuable public services: public health and free and fair elections. That he was and is able to do so is a profound shift from precedence and, I argue, a breakdown in accountability.”

— Christopher Koliba, Edwin O. Steene Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs & Administration (Perspectives on Public Management and Governance)

What’s next

The scholar noted that former President Trump has continued to make public comments casting doubt on the legitimacy of the current electoral system, suggesting the lasting impacts of these crises on democratic norms. The study's findings could inform ongoing efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and accountability.

The takeaway

This research underscores the fragility of democratic principles and the need for clear standards to identify when those principles are being transgressed, even by the highest levels of elected leadership. As the U.S. grapples with the legacy of the pandemic and election crises, this work offers a framework for understanding how to preserve democratic accountability during times of upheaval.