Election officials brace for possible federal interference ahead of midterms
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State and local election officials are preparing for potential challenges after the Supreme Court rejected President Trump's effort to limit mail-in voting, while the White House defends its actions as safeguards against illegal voting.
State and local election officials across the United States are taking steps to guard against possible federal interference, misinformation and cyber threats ahead of the November midterm elections. The measures follow a Supreme Court decision that rejected President Donald Trump's attempt to curb mail-in voting, allowing states to continue using their existing procedures, which now account for about one-third of all votes.
According to a Reuters investigation, more than a dozen officials said they are hiring outside counsel and providing legal training for staff to respond to any demands for access to voting records or equipment. Nearly twice as many are expanding public outreach and social-media campaigns to counter false claims that voting machines are unreliable and that mail-in voting is corrupt.
Legal challenges to the administration’s actions have been mounted by civil-rights groups and a bipartisan coalition of current and former members of Congress. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Brennan Center for Justice argue that the Constitution assigns authority over federal elections primarily to the states and Congress. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin said, "The Constitution is clear that the states and Congress make the rules for federal elections, not the President," and described the effort to use the Postal Service to regulate mailed ballots as a "naked power grab." Senator Alex Padilla added that restricting mail voting could disproportionately affect military personnel, rural residents and Americans abroad.
The White House rejected accusations of election meddling, stating its actions aim to prevent illegal voting and maintain confidence in the electoral system. The administration has pursued the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration, but the legislation remains stalled in the Senate amid concerns about potential disenfranchisement.
Analyses by independent researchers indicate that voter fraud is extremely rare, with documented cases representing a minuscule fraction of total votes cast in recent decades.