For Black US Americans, polling places have long been militarized zone, “guarded” by the violence and intimidation of white racists. After the US Civil War when freemen began gaining political power in state legislatures, racists used murder, rape, lynching and other forms of violence to discourage Black voting. The Trump regime is now organizing a new network of vote intimidators for the November election, this time targeted at any group they feel my hinder their ability to remain in power.

The Brennan Center points out that there is good news in that federal and state laws guard against the types of election interference the president has threatened. Most fundamentally, the Constitution gives the president no authority to set election rules; that power belongs to the states and Congress. And there’s an upside to the regime making its unlawful intentions so clear: we can prepare.

The Brennan Center outlines practical steps advocates can take to prepare for federal interference in the 2026 elections. They also walk through four scenarios intended to help advocates better understand the law concerning these emerging issues:

1. New executive orders purporting to regulate elections
2. Efforts by the Trump administration to force states to purge voters from the rolls
3. Federal efforts to seize voting equipment, ballots, or other election materials
4. Deployment of the military or federal officers (such as National Guard troops or ICE agents) to intimidate voters

With planning and information, we can identify federal threats to our elections, spot falsehoods, understand the constraints on the administration, and stand up for free and fair elections.