WASHINGTON — Democratic-led states are expanding legal and administrative preparations to protect election systems ahead of the November midterm elections, citing concerns about what state officials describe as potential federal interference in the administration of voting procedures, according to court filings, public statements and election officials.
The preparations come amid a series of disputes between the Trump administration and state governments over election policy, including federal efforts to obtain voter registration data, changes affecting mail-in voting, and broader questions about federal authority over elections that are traditionally administered by states. Under the U.S. Constitution, states are primarily responsible for conducting federal elections.
A coalition of Democratic attorneys general from more than 20 states and the District of Columbia has challenged President Donald Trump’s executive order tightening rules on mail-in voting. The states argue the order exceeds presidential authority and interferes with state election administration. The White House has defended the measures as efforts to strengthen election security and ensure that only eligible voters cast ballots.
“Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and no president has the power to rewrite the rules on his own,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement accompanying the lawsuit. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded that the administration’s actions were “lawful efforts to secure American elections.”
Election officials in several states have also been reviewing contingency plans in case federal agencies seek access to voting records or election infrastructure. Those preparations include consultations with state attorneys general, expanded legal-response teams and coordination among election administrators, according to public reports and officials familiar with the efforts.
The Justice Department has continued pressing states to provide unredacted voter registration data, even after several federal courts ruled that states were not required to comply. In May, the department issued a formal legal opinion supporting its position, signaling that it intended to continue pursuing access to the records. Several states have resisted the requests, arguing that disclosure could expose sensitive voter information.
Separately, federal courts are considering challenges to the administration’s voting-related policies. During a hearing in Boston this month, a federal judge questioned whether parts of the administration’s mail-voting order unlawfully interfered with state authority over elections. Appeals and related litigation remain ongoing.
Members of Congress have also sought additional briefings from federal intelligence and security agencies regarding election-related threats and ongoing investigations touching on election integrity claims. Lawmakers said they wanted regular updates through the 2026 election cycle.
As of Saturday, no state had reported direct federal intervention in the administration of voting for the upcoming midterm elections. Legal challenges, federal requests for voter data and state-level preparations remained active, while courts continued to review several election-related disputes.
