Your Vote, Your Community
A 9-Minute spoken address on Voting, Local Control, and the Importance of Showing Up
Preface: Preface: Leader, advisor, influencer, role model, mentor. If part of what you do for your community is among these, you have a gift. And a kind of magic. There are many things that arise from those roles. One of the most powerful is that you give both courage and encouragement to the people in your community. Whenever you give voice to the worries and concerns of your community, you give them the courage, too, to speak out, to take action. With that thought, here are some some ideas for addressing some of the most critical concerns that we all might have. I invite you to use this as a spark or support for your conversations, as a template where you can include your experiences, or as a ready-to-use address for the community that you care about.
Thank you for being here. You belong in this conversation.
Across the country, people are asking the same quiet question: Will I be able to vote? Will it be stolen? Will it be counted? These are serious questions. So let’s look at what is actually happening.
Who do you think should be in charge of running elections? If your answer is "my state and local officials" — people accountable to the communities where you vote — you are in line with the Constitution. States register voters, set up polling places, count votes, and certify results. That has been true since the nation’s founding.
The Framers had seen what centralized power could do, and they distributed election authority across the states precisely to protect it from corruption. Yes, that means some variation from state to state — not always the most efficient. But would you rather have a system that runs like clockwork, controlled by one hand, or one that is a little uneven but far harder for any one person to manipulate?
What Changed in 2024
In August 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Donald Trump for his sustained campaign to overturn the 2020 election: spreading knowingly false claims of voter fraud; organizing false slates of electors in seven states; directing Justice Department officials to falsely claim election wrongdoing; pressuring Vice President Pence to reject certified results; and directing supporters to the Capitol on January 6, then refusing to call them off while the violent attacks of that day were underway.
That 2023 case was dismissed in November 2024 — not for lack of evidence, but because Justice Department policy has prohibited prosecuting a sitting president.
In July 2024, while Trump’s case was still before the courts, the Supreme Court ruled that a president may be shielded from prosecution for official acts — even harmful ones that might otherwise be unlawful. Courts must first ask whether an act was, in a formal sense, officially presidential. If so, that could be the end of it. They could not ask whether it was right or wrong, what the intent was, or what harms may follow.
The same kinds of conduct that in 2020 brought criminal charges may now qualify as protected official acts. Accountability just got significantly harder — and that will be just as true in 2028 as it is now in 2026. So, are there more recent concerns?
Since 2025 we have seen:
Justice Department demands for voter registration files from all 50 states, followed by lawsuits against 30 states and the District of Columbia. The DOJ has lost all 21 lawsuits that have been decided so far, but is appealing many of those decisions.
An executive order directing the Postal Service to block mail ballots from voters who are not on a new federal list — with entire states’ voters at risk of being blocked if the state does not comply. The Postal Service is rushing to build an allegedly flawed system to implement it.
Ten states redrawing voting districts mid-cycle, in some cases discarding votes already cast.
Experienced federal election security officials widely replaced by political appointees who back the unsupported belief that Trump won the 2020 election.
The Justice Department quietly dismantling its election crime offices — training canceled, guidebooks removed, the Election Day command center not staffed, and Election Assistance Commission leadership dismantled.
FBI taking possession of hundreds of boxes of ballots in Georgia and Arizona, and demanding ballots from Michigan.
A March 2026 executive order directing DHS and SSA to compile a hastily assembled “citizenship list” to send to states. In July, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin warned that election officials who did not participate in this SAVE program could face “fines, penalties, and even … prison time.”
Federal agents, including ICE, reported at or near polling places and election offices in Arizona, Texas, California, and New York. The Brennan Center’s Senior Counsel Jasleen Singh noted that deploying ICE agents to police polling places is illegal.
But What About Voter Fraud?
After the 2020 election, Republican attorneys general, Republican-appointed judges, Republican state officials, and the president’s own Justice Department all investigated. More than 60 court cases were filed. Audits ran in Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. They found nothing that changed any result.
When the machinery designed to catch fraud runs at full throttle and comes back nearly empty — that is not a mystery. That is the answer. Even when the knights have ridden out to secure the countryside, it is worth asking whether anyone has actually seen a dragon.
You may have heard that ballots counted after Election Day are suspect. In fact, after the polls close, workers continue verifying signatures and confirming eligibility, one by one. In many states the law prohibits starting that process until Election Day itself. The delay is not something going wrong. The delay is our assurance of a fair and reliable outcome.
Why This Matters — Even If You Trust the People Doing It
The powers being asserted do not go away when this administration ends. They pass to the next administration, and the one after that. Even if you generally agree with this administration on how it's going about its business — the Constitutional design still matters. A President who controls election rules, voter data, mail ballot access, and district lines controls the very tools that citizens use to hold that President accountable. Do the voters choose the President, or does the President choose his voters?
This is a concern about the future of elections as guaranteed by the Constitution. That is why officials from both parties have pushed back. Colorado’s Democratic Secretary of State as well as Kentucky’s Republican Secretary of State have refused to hand over voter data, saying no to “voluntarily commit a data breach.” Courts in 21 states have dismissed the Justice Department’s voter data lawsuits, though the DOJ is appealing most of those decisions.
One last question. In July 2024, Donald Trump told a crowd: “You won’t have to vote anymore. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.” His supporters said he meant things would be so good, voting wouldn’t feel urgent.
Further, on February 2, 2026 Trump called for Republicans to “take over” voting, saying, “We should take over the voting." ... The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.” Ask yourself this. How do these remarks fit with everything else we’ve been talking about today?
What You Can Do
The courts are doing their job. Officials from both parties are speaking out. And yes, many of us — including your neighbors — are concerned. So talk with your family, friends, faith community, and neighbors. Conversation raises awareness. Awareness turns to action.
This is not a moment to sit out. Speak with your local officials. Support your state Attorney General and your local law enforcement officials in protecting elections.
Remember that Congress can address election security, voting rights, federal election law, oversight, and funding. Ask how members of Congress will protect our state-run elections and prevent improper manipulation. Will they ensure that elections are secure, accessible, lawful, and impartial?
- One of the most effective tools you have as a citizen is your vote. Plan now to vote in every election.
- Know the rules. Check your Secretary of State’s website, or ncsl.org.
- Check your registration. Find your polling place — redistricting may have moved it.
- Plan your vote, vote early, and bring someone with you.
- If you vote by mail, request your ballot early, follow the envelope instructions exactly, and track it.
- Encourage others. Just ask: Are you registered? Do you know where your polling place is? Do you need a ride?
- Let your state and local officials know you expect them to defend the Constitution and protect your vote.
- Find nonpartisan voting information at Vote.org.
- Vote like it matters — because none of us wants to see a day when “you won’t have to vote anymore.”
Thank you for coming today.
Sources: All factual claims verified against primary sources.
U.S. Department of Justice. “Justice Department Sues Five Additional States for Failure to Produce Voter Rolls.” February 26, 2026.justice.gov
White House. Executive Order 14399, “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections.” March 31, 2026.whitehouse.gov
U.S. Department of Justice. “Justice Department Announces Monitoring of Polling Sites in Three Arizona Counties.” July 21, 2026.justice.gov
Constitution Annotated, Library of Congress. “ArtI.S4.C1.2 States and Elections Clause.”constitution.congress.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission. “Overview of Federal Election Laws.”eac.gov
National Archives. “What Is the Electoral College?”archives.gov
U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence. “Federal Executive Branch Agencies and Roles and Responsibilities” (election-security fact sheet). February 2024.dni.gov (PDF)
Government and nonpartisan analysis
Congressional Research Service. “Federal Investigations and Seizures of Voting Records.” May 26, 2026.Congress.gov
Congressional Research Service. “Federal Role in U.S. Campaigns and Elections: Highlights.”EveryCRSReportNote: This is a third-party mirror. Prefer the official CRS/Congress.gov version if available.
National Conference of State Legislatures. “Changing the Maps: Tracking Mid-Decade Redistricting.” Updated August 11, 2026.ncsl.org
National Conference of State Legislatures. “The States Decide How Elections Are Run.”ncsl.org
U.S. House Committee on Administration. “The Elections Clause: States’ Primary Constitutional Authority Over Elections.”house.gov
National Association of Counties. “Enhanced Election Security & Protection Act.”naco.org
Court and litigation materials
Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse. “Democratic National Committee v. U.S. Department of Justice.”clearinghouse.net
Bloomberg Law. “Trump Administration Ordered to Fulfill DNC’s Records Inquiry.” May 27, 2026.news.bloomberglaw.com
Reporting
Reuters. “Judge Blocks U.S. Postal Service From Restricting Mail-In Voting.” August 11, 2026.reuters.com
NPR. “A Judge Expands a Block on U.S. Postal Service Work on Trump’s Mail-In Voting Order.” August 11, 2026.npr.org
NOTUS. “The Justice Department Hasn’t Taken Its Usual Steps to Protect the 2026 Election.” June 8, 2026.notus.org
NPR. “Trump Cleans House at the Election Assistance Commission.” July 9, 2026.npr.org
ProPublica. “Trump Pushes Out Last Federal Election Assistance Commission Members.” July 10, 2026.propublica.org
Votebeat. “Election Experts Weigh What Could Disrupt the 2026 Midterms.” April 17, 2026.votebeat.org
Votebeat. “Why Trump Can’t Cancel the 2026 Midterm Elections.” January 26, 2026.votebeat.org
Votebeat. “What Votebeat Reporters Are Watching in the 2026 Elections.” January 5, 2026.votebeat.org
Votebeat. “Polls: Americans Are Worried About 2026 Midterm Elections.” May 18, 2026.votebeat.org
Reuters. “Trump Says Republicans Should ‘Nationalize’ Voting in at Least 15 Places.” February 2, 2026.reuters.com
Reuters. “Trump’s Call to ‘Nationalize’ Elections Draws Furious Pushback From Democrats.” February 3, 2026.reuters.com
Washington Post. “Trump, Seeking Executive Power Over Elections, Is Urged to Declare …” February 26, 2026.washingtonpost.com
Advocacy and legal analysis
Brennan Center for Justice. “Trump Administration Has Sued More than 20 States for Refusing to Turn Over Voter [Files].” January 16, 2026.brennancenter.org
Brennan Center for Justice. “The President’s March 2025 Executive Order on Elections Explained.”brennancenter.org
Brennan Center for Justice. “The SAVE Act and the Election Power Grab.” February 9, 2026.brennancenter.org
State United Democracy Center. “States Run Elections — The Federal Government Has a Limited Role.”statesunited.org
State Court Report. “States, Not the President, Run Elections in America.”statecourtreport.org
Protect Democracy. “Executive Override.” July 2026.protectdemocracy.org
Protect Democracy. “Executive Override: Protect Democracy Briefing.” March 2026.protectdemocracy.org
American Progress. “The Trump Administration Has No Legal Authority To Invoke National Security and Take Over Elections.” March 2, 2026.americanprogress.org
Campaign Legal Center. “Defending Vote by Mail From the Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Executive Overreach.” April 2, 2026.campaignlegal.org
District maps changed in Alabama and Louisiana while voting was underway.
Louisiana v. Callais, Nos. 24-109 & 24-110, 608 U.S. ___ (U.S. Apr. 29, 2026).
U.S. Supreme Court opinion
Callais v. Louisiana, No. 25A1197, 608 U.S. ___ (U.S. May 4, 2026) (Jackson, J., dissenting from order granting application to issue judgment forthwith).
U.S. Supreme Court docket and May 4 order
Office of Governor Jeff Landry, Governor Jeff Landry Suspends Only U.S. House Primary Elections Following Supreme Court Ruling (Apr. 30, 2026).
Louisiana Governor's Office announcement
John Kruzel, US Supreme Court's Uneven Approach to Election-Map Rulings Boosts Republicans, Reuters (May 20, 2026).
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-courts-uneven-approach-election-map-rulings-boosts-republicans-2026-05-20/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Videos published by the Los Angeles Times suggested roughly 100 ICE and CBP agents were stationed near Lot 13 outside the [Dodger] stadium, though their specific mission has not been disclosed publicly. . . . In New Jersey, rumors of ICE patrols near polling sites in Ocean and Monmouth counties prompted voter concerns, https://www.btimesonline.com/articles/175818/20251105/newsom-condemns-federal-agent-presence-near-la-polling-sites-as-election-tensions-rise.htm.
Federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entered a polling place in Onondaga County during New York's primary elections on Tuesday. [June 25, 2026] https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2026/06/25/ice-agents-at-syracuse-poll
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents swarmed a vehicle in the parking lot of a [San Antonio] West Side voting location Wednesday morning, according to eyewitnesses. https://www.sacurrent.com/news/san-antonio-news/ice-conducts-enforcement-action-at-san-antonio-voting-location-witnesses-say/
Email from Richard Blumenthal (Ranking Member,Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations) to David Steiner (Postmaster, General and Chief Executive Officer, United States Postal Service) re: President Trump’s Executive Order seeking to restrict mail-in voting. https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-08-31_final_letter-disclosure.pdf
Donald Trump, interview with Dan Bongino, The Dan Bongino Show, February 2, 2026
May 19, 2026 declaration filed in Common Cause v. U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia,
Additional notes:
Beto O’Rourke, “How Long Do We Have to Fight?,” The Good Fight, Substack, September 6, 2026. regarding consequences of the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder. “Without the protection of the Voting Rights Act, politicians were free to not only pick their voters, but they could now choose who could vote in the first place.”
Greg Palast estimate: “Trump Lost. Vote Suppression Won,” The Hartmann Report, January 24, 2025.
“Trump lost. That is, if all legal voters were allowed to vote, if all legal ballots were counted, Trump would have lost the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Vice-President Kamala Harris would have won the Presidency with 286 electoral votes.
“And, if not for the mass purge of voters of color, if not for the mass disqualification of provisional and mail-in ballots, if not for the new mass ‘vigilante’ challenges in swing states, Harris would have gained at least another 3,565,000 votes, topping Trump’s official popular vote tally by 1.2 million.”
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