Attacks on our fundamental rights to vote, protest, and organize with others for change are increasing across the country. The Supreme Court killed the Voting Rights Act; federal agents are intimidating election officials and voters from Fulton County, GA to Milwaukee, WI to San Antonio, TX; and President Trump continues to demand legislation that would erect huge barriers to voting and sow chaos before the 2026 elections. As trusted communicators and elected representatives closest to their communities, local elected leaders play a critical role in ensuring that the 2026 elections are free and democratic.
Local Progress has compiled key steps local officials should take and resources from trusted partners regarding building intergovernmental relationships, communications and narrative, protections against election interference and voter intimidation, and coalition building.
To assess the level of risk in your community, check out Voting Rights Lab’s 2026 Election Risk Heat Map.
Election Protection Resources
1) Messaging to Advance Election Integrity
As trusted communicators for their communities, local electeds’ most important role to play in the 2026 elections is to be a source of accurate, pro-democracy information that reinforces trust in the process and outcomes and combats disinformation. Below are resources from our partners with essential messaging guidance and information about voting rights.
Resources
- Hands Off Our Vote: Messaging guidance for protecting our vote in the 2026 midterm elections
- Election Safeguards Response Network, Responding to Trump’s Tired Claims of Foreign Interference in Our Elections
- VoteRiders Partner Toolkit: Free Voter ID Resources & Assistance (for states with voter ID laws)
2) Building a Broad Coalition for Democracy
Priming our communities—from individual voters to community groups and businesses—to be ready to take action in support of our right to vote and our democracy will be essential to deter and beat back attacks on our elections. Below are calls to action from trusted partners that aim to build a broad front against authoritarian attacks and build our mobilization muscles.
Resources
- Push larger local employers to sign the Business for Democracy Pledge.
- Join the Freedom Summer 2026 mobilization, with events from now through Election Day.
3) Supporting Election Administrators
Since 2016, election administrators have come under unprecedented attack due to unfounded conspiracy theories pushed by President Trump and his anti-democratic allies. In some jurisdictions, these election officials are elected. Below are resources aimed at bolstering election administrators, including resolution language.
Resources
- Milwaukee County, WI resolution affirming Milwaukee County’s commitment to election integrity, support for election workers, and opposition to the intimidation of election officials and voters
4) Protecting elections from interference and intimidation
Over the last decade, election conspiracy theories and disinformation from Trump-aligned forces have laid the groundwork for attempts from state actors and private individuals to interfere with the fundamental right to vote. We’re seeing the fruition of that now with federal agents intimidating local election officials and seizing election materials and regular incidents of violent threats.
But federal and state law is clear: voter intimidation and election interference are illegal and subject to civil and criminal prosecution. Below are resources with essential information about legal protections and how to respond to different threat vectors.
Resources
- Preparing for Federal Interference in the 2026 Midterm Elections – An explainer with guidance on how to prepare for and respond to different federal interference scenarios, like demands from the Department of Justice for voter roll information and to purge rolls, demands for and seizures of election equipment, and the deployment of the military or law enforcement to intimidate voters.
- How to Spot (and Push Back Against) Federal Voter Intimidation – A guide focused on voter intimidation by federal agents to support communities who are taking action to ensure that all eligible voters can cast their ballots in free, fair, and safe elections. It covers various voter intimidation scenarios, including heightened presence or deployment to poll sites of immigration agents or military forces and state or local law enforcement under 287(g) agreements with the Department of Homeland Security.
- Know Your Rights: What Happens If Law Enforcement Requests or Compels Election-Related Information, Records, or Equipment from You or Your Organization? – An FAQ-memo about what to do if federal law enforcement issues requests or subpoenas for election-related materials.
- Issue Brief – Wayne County Ballot Demand – A memo explaining the DOJ’s Apr. 14 letter to Wayne County, MI demanding ballots and election materials from the 2024 election, including messaging guidance.
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