Election Disputes Expand Ahead of 2026 Midterms

Election oversight and certification disputes are intensifying ahead of the 2026 midterms, with voting underway. In Arizona, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has warned that Republican challenger Andy Biggs could oversee certification of the 2028 presidential election, while Republicans have nominated 2020 election deniers for secretary of state and attorney general. The Trump administration is seeking to stop Alaska from certifying its U.S. Senate election if incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan loses, arguing that a similarly named candidate could confuse voters; Mary Peltola’s campaign, election officials and voting-rights groups are seeking to dismiss the suit, and the government has cited reports alleging the other candidate was recruited as a spoiler. The Justice Department is separately seeking to block California from counting mail ballots from voters it suspects may be noncitizens and is appealing before the trial judge rules. In a federal dispute over election monitoring, the department says monitors from the Bureau of Prisons, ATF and DEA will observe and take notes without acting as law enforcement, after the NAACP challenged the plans as potentially intimidating voters. Six Washington counties have accepted the governor’s offer of unarmed, plainclothes National Guard members to observe election sites and support local security without handling ballots or interacting with voters.