Studies show that one of the best ways to deter election interference and meddling is to have observers watching and documenting voting as it happens. With worries that Trump is going to attempt to deter voters by using federal resources like ICE at polling places in states with key Senate races, Senate Democrats have responded with a program to train Senate staff to act as election observers for the midterm election.
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The release didn’t mention which states the observers will be sent to, but we can pretty well guess that the observers will be in urban polling places in states like Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, and Maine.
In a press release from Sens. Padilla and Schumer, the program was explained as:
he Senate Election Observer Program will not interfere with election officials in the performance of their duties or seek to influence election results in any way. It will:
Put trained congressional observers on the ground: Train and designate Democratic Senators’ official staff to observe polling locations and sites where ballots are counted and elections are canvassed and certified
Document any election interference: Deter election interference, promote confidence in American elections, and help ensure free and fair elections in 2026. Observe and record any election issues, including potential instances of voter interference, threats targeting election workers, impacts of election misinformation or disinformation, and any issues regarding the canvass or certification of elections
Strengthen congressional oversight: Gather on-the-ground information about U.S. Senate elections to assist the Senate Rules Committee in addressing any potentially contested Senate elections. Inform the Committee’s legislative and oversight work related to election administration
Operate under established authority: The same authority as the long-running House of Representatives’ Election Observer Program.
Democrats aren’t going to sit and expect a convicted felon president to play by the rules.