Our right to vote is the most foundational principle of our representative democracy. Yet, with less than 24 hours until Election Day, the Trump Administration has escalated the ongoing government assault on free and fair elections in this country, reaching levels never seen before. Attorney Marc Elias has coined this unprecedented time as “the storm before the storm.”
In recent weeks, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed lawsuits against multiple states seeking to access unredacted voter registration records. Attorney General Todd Blanche is at the forefront of this assault, blatantly disregarding the states’ rights to govern elections as he carries out Trump’s every whim.
In California, the DOJ asked state officials to set aside ballots associated with more than 20,000 people the department identified as potentially ineligible voters. California officials disputed the reliability of the federal government’s information and argued that ballots cannot be withheld based on unverified allegations.
In Alaska, the DOJ, per Trump’s request, has ordered the federal judge to separate ballots based on which candidate a voter cast their ballot for. The Trump administration has also threatened to deploy federal agents at polling places, seize ballots after the election, and disrupt the certification process; all of which are illegal and would be challenged immediately if attempted. We cannot let this administration and their antics affect us.
“He’s not in charge,” election law expert Justin Levitt states. “This is bullying without any force to back it up. The people who run the elections are state and local officials, and he’s not their boss, so they don’t have to listen.”
These courts have not remained silent, fighting back against this federal overreach. President Trump’s efforts to interfere with the 2026 midterm elections have consistently failed. Despite attempts, the Postal Service is still delivering ballots, the Justice Department has not gained control of voter ballots, and dozens of other schemes have been futile. In fact, the administration has faced setbacks in all 28 of its election-related court cases.
That does not mean Trump won’t keep trying.
According to pro-democracy groups and state officials, there are still risks on Election Day that people should watch out for, ranging from voter intimidation to voter suppression and even seizures of ballots or voting machines. These are all tactics that Trump has deployed in previous elections, but it is important to remind ourselves that we are the ones in charge of this election, not Trump.
These attacks against our voting system aren’t about the success rate of a candidate, but rather the ability to frighten and demoralize the public from turning out the vote. However, we have the power to overcome, to follow through with this Blue Wave. Midterms are a response to the chaos enacted by the presidency, and we the American people have had enough.
Tomorrow, join us in showing up to the polls and exercising our fundamental right to vote. Bring your loved ones along, and educate yourself on your voting rights. It is imperative to go to the polls as an informed voter and know your rights.
For campus and state voting information, visit https://voteu.org/guides. For legal guidance on federal interference, visit: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/federal-agents-at-the-polls.