Election officials fear federal interference
The gist
State and local US election officials are training staff and lawyers to guard against possible federal interference before the Nov. 3 midterms.
With one week left, the crux is whether federal monitors, agents or lawsuits change how votes are cast and counted.
How it unfolded
- May 2026Asked whether he would deploy ICE or the National Guard to voting sites, President Donald Trump said he would do "anything necessary" to ensure "honest elections".
- Oct 7, 2026LUCHA held an observer training in Phoenix, where Karime Rodriguez projected a map of metro Phoenix marking voting sites and ICE activity vetted over the previous year and a half.
- Oct 20, 2026The Washington Post reported that current and former intelligence officials have been meeting with state governments and congressional lawmakers to prepare for possible Trump administration election interference.