Key facts
- Democratic state attorneys general and secretaries of state are coordinating to counter federal election interference.
- The Progressive State Leaders Committee (PSLC) is leading the effort.
- Concerns include potential intervention by the Department of Justice and seizure of ballots.
- The DOJ's plans to deploy 1,000 poll monitors have been challenged by the NAACP.
- The DOJ has lost 26 of 30 lawsuits seeking unredacted voter lists.
Democratic state attorneys general, secretaries of state, and civic groups have intensified planning to counter potential federal interference in the upcoming November midterm elections. These officials are concerned about actions by Donald Trump and his administration, citing his repeated false claims of widespread voting fraud and veiled threats of intervention. The coordination, spearheaded by the Progressive State Leaders Committee (PSLC), involves weekly Zoom calls and in-person exercises to strategize against federal intervention.
Concerns are particularly focused on the Department of Justice, which announced plans to deploy 1,000 poll monitors, a move that has drawn a lawsuit from the NAACP. The DOJ has also pursued lawsuits against states for voter lists, losing 26 of the cases ruled on. Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ's civil rights division, has also sent letters threatening prosecutions for non-cooperation in fraud investigations.
Officials like Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield have voiced strong concerns about Trump's rhetoric and potential actions undermining election integrity. They are preparing for various scenarios, including potential ballot seizures. Groups like the Democracy Defenders Fund and the Brennan Center for Justice are also involved in these preparatory efforts.