Midterms Push Election Officials in Non-Traditional Battlegrounds Into National Spotlight

In 2020, Tina Barton, then city clerk of Rochester Hills, Mich., oversaw an election where a technical glitch caused an unofficial absentee vote file to be sent twice. The error was corrected the next day and did not affect the final tally. However, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee accused Barton’s office of improperly awarding votes to Democrats. Barton received a surge of death threats, including a voicemail claiming she deserved a “throat to the knife” for frauding America of a real election.

Barton describes a sharp divide in how election mistakes are perceived. In non-battleground states, human errors are easily explained in the press and rarely become major stories. In battleground states, the same errors can quickly evolve into massive conspiracy narratives. This distinction has shaped the experience of officials in states like Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona, which have been under intense national scrutiny for more than five years.

The dynamic is shifting for the 2026 midterms. Because the races deciding control of the U.S. House and Senate are spread across the country, local officials in places like Iowa, Alaska, New York, and Kansas may find themselves in the national spotlight for the first time. Chris McGinn, executive director of the Texas Association of County Election Officials, noted that Texas has been a reliable Republican state for nearly 50 years. This reliability historically meant fewer competitive elections and less pressure on voting officials during federal cycles.

McGinn has been preparing local clerks for a potential change in this year’s landscape. The U.S. Senate race in Texas could determine the balance of power in that chamber. The Republican nominee for that seat sought to help President Trump overturn his 2020 election loss. McGinn said he preaches to his members that they do not want to be Florida in 2000. He observed that many officials are still in a state of not thinking the pressure can happen to them, assuming it only occurs in other regions.

The overall threat environment for voting officials appears calmer than it was in the period following the 2020 election. Wendy Link, supervisor of elections for Palm Beach County, Fla., said her office still regularly receives what she calls “love letters.” These emails often contain threats, such as promises that an army will be sent to arrest her or that she will spend time in Guantanamo Bay. Link stated that while she believes some emails are intended to intimidate her, she is not as worried about her personal safety as she has been at other points in her career.

Tina Barton, now vice president of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, warns that escalation is possible if the midterms are close. Her organization helps local officials prepare for worst-case scenarios. Researchers who study election misinformation note that most false narratives emerge from real events, such as ballot equipment failures or website outages. These minor issues are then seized upon by influencers and politicians to imply intentional fraud or widespread problems.

The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections doubled the number of trainings it led this year compared to 2024. This increase reflects new concerns around the Trump administration’s actions in elections and an expanded understanding of what it means to manage a competitive district. Barton’s message to officials in these areas is direct. She tells them they better be on their game.