Election Pressure Shifts to New States

Election officials in traditionally safe states are bracing for intense national scrutiny this year.

The number of competitive races for the U.S. House and Senate has expanded beyond the usual battleground states. This shift places local clerks in Iowa, Alaska, New York, and Kansas under a spotlight they may not have experienced before.

Tina Barton, former city clerk of Rochester Hills, Mich., notes a sharp difference in how mistakes are received. In non-battleground areas, human errors are often explained away quickly. In swing states, the same errors can spark conspiracy theories.

Barton experienced this dynamic in 2020. Her office mistakenly sent an unofficial absentee vote file twice during the presidential election. The error did not change the final tally, but it drew national attention. The chairwoman of the Republican National Committee accused Barton’s office of improperly favoring Democrats.

Barton also received numerous death threats. One voicemail claimed she deserved a "throat to the knife" because her office had "frauded out America of a real election." She now serves as vice president of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, an organization that helps local officials prepare for worst-case scenarios.

Chris McGinn, executive director of the Texas Association of County Election Officials, says Texas has relied on its status as a safe Republican state for nearly 50 years. That stability meant less pressure on voting officials during federal cycles. This year, however, the state Senate race could determine the balance of power in the chamber. McGinn tells his members they must avoid becoming the next Florida in 2000.

Wendy Link, supervisor of elections for Palm Beach County, Fla., reports a calmer threat environment than she saw after 2020. Her office still receives what she calls "love letters" from voters. Some emails threaten to send an army to arrest her or detain her in Guantanamo Bay. Link says she does not request a security detail despite the intimidation. Barton warns that controversy can strike any state. She urges officials in competitive districts to stay prepared for equipment failures or website outages. The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections doubled its training sessions compared to 2024 to address these risks.