Washington D.C. | September 30, 2026 —Government Accountability Project and National Whistleblower Center, two of the nation’s leading whistleblower advocacy organizations, joined together to commission a national poll examining Americans’ views on protections for whistleblowers. The survey of likely voters conducted by YouGov confirmed how Americans view the role whistleblowers play in exposing wrongdoing.
Support for whistleblowers matter strongly to the American public: protecting and supporting those who speak up is seen as important and a priority. The results provide new insight into public attitude toward whistleblower rights and the policies needed to protect those who report misconduct. Key topline findings in the survey include:
- A majority of registered voters favor federal employee whistleblowers having the same access to court and jury trials that government contractors and other employees have to defend against free-speech retaliation: 68% are in favor, while only 5% are opposed;
- 86% believe passing stronger laws that protect employees who report fraud should be a priority for Congress, up from 81% in 2020;
- 64% say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who supports strengthening laws that protect employees who report fraud, up from 44% in 2020.
“These findings confirmed an overwhelming mandate for Congress to rebuild America’s whistleblower laws, which have been ravaged for federal employees and workers around the country,” said Maya Efrati, Director of Legislation and Congressional Affairs at Government Accountability Project. “The public knows that whistleblowers are America’s best defense against government fraud, waste and abuse. It’s time for the legislators to listen.”
“These results demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that providing effective protections for whistleblowers is of urgent concern to the overwhelming majority of the American public,” said Stephen Kohn, Founder and Chairman of the Board at the National Whistleblower Center. “This is an urgent message to hold corporations and the government accountable for corruption.”
By combining their experience and expertise, Government Accountability Project and National Whistleblower Center hope the findings will help inform policymakers on the American public’s stance on the future of whistleblower protection.
Additional information about the poll and its findings will be released in the coming weeks.
