Donald Trump is reportedly sending poll watchers to voting locations across the country, sparking fresh fears of voter intimidation ahead of the midterm elections.
Legal experts warn this may only be a preview of what is coming in 2026 if Trump does not get the results he wants.
UCLA election law expert Rick Hasen says Trump appears to be testing the waters. In his view, this looks less like a normal campaign tactic and more like a rehearsal for chaos. He believes Trump is preparing to challenge and disrupt future elections if things do not go his way.
Trump and his allies claim the move is about “election security.” But many Americans remember what happened in 2020, when Trump’s supporters showed up at vote-counting centers screaming through windows. The fear now is that these so-called “poll watchers” are meant to scare voters, not protect democracy.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
There is also a legal wall Trump cannot cross. Federal law makes it a crime to send troops or federal agents to voting sites. It is also illegal for anyone, including government officials, to intimidate voters in any way. But critics worry that Trump does not care about the rules. They say he will push boundaries and dare others to stop him.
Voter intimidation is not new in America. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, violent groups stood outside polling places to stop people from voting.
In the 1960s, civil rights workers were threatened, beaten, and even killed just for helping Black Americans cast a ballot. That dark history is why federal protections were created in the first place. Today’s concerns come from the fear we are watching an old playbook return in a modern form.
Meanwhile, Trump is also going after his political enemies through weak legal cases. New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt says these cases are not really about winning in court. They are about dragging opponents through the mud.
Featured image via X screengrab
