Midterm Pressure Shifts: 2024 Training Doubling Signals New Risks for Local Election Officials

Tina Barton, a former city clerk in Rochester Hills, Michigan, now serves as vice president of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections. The organization doubled the number of trainings it led in 2026 compared to 2024. This expansion reflects a shift in the operational environment for local election administrators across the United States.

Barton oversees guidance for officials managing elections in states that are not traditional battlegrounds. Her role involves helping local teams prepare for potential errors and public scrutiny. In 2020, while serving as clerk in Rochester Hills, her office sent an unofficial absentee vote file twice. The duplicate transmission occurred because the initial file did not appear to send. The error did not affect the final vote count and was corrected the following day.

Despite the minor nature of the technical glitch, the incident generated intense national attention. The chairwoman of the Republican National Committee accused Barton’s office of improperly awarding votes to Democrats. Barton received numerous death threats. One voicemail stated that she deserved a throat to the knife because she had frauded out America of a real election. This level of pressure was previously concentrated in swing states like Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona.

In the 2026 midterm cycle, the races deciding control of the U.S. House and Senate are distributed across the country. This distribution places local officials in states such as Iowa, Alaska, New York, and Kansas in the national spotlight for the first time. Chris McGinn, executive director of the Texas Association of County Election Officials, notes that Texas has remained a reliable Republican state for nearly 50 years. This stability historically resulted in fewer competitive elections and less pressure on voting officials during federal cycles.

McGinn has worked to prepare clerks for a potential change in dynamic this year. The U.S. Senate race in Texas could determine the balance of power in that chamber. The Republican nominee for the seat previously sought to help President Trump overturn his 2020 election loss. McGinn describes the current mindset among his members as one of surprise that such pressure could affect their jurisdiction. He tells members that they do not want to be Florida in 2000, a reference to the contentious recount of that year.

Wendy Link, supervisor of elections for Palm Beach County, Florida, reports a calmer threat environment compared to the period following the 2020 election. Her county includes part of a toss-up congressional district this year. Link says her office still receives emails she calls love letters. These messages include threats that an army will be sent to arrest her and that she will spend time in Guantanamo Bay. She states that while these messages are intended to intimidate, she is not currently requesting a security detail.

Barton warns that controversy can impact officials in both red and blue states. She notes that simple mechanical issues, such as ballot equipment failing, ballots jamming, or a website going down, can trigger widespread scrutiny. Researchers who study election misinformation indicate that false narratives often stem from these real events. Influencers or politicians may then claim these events are intentional or more widespread than they actually are. Barton advises officials in competitive districts to be fully prepared for these scenarios.

The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections continues to lead training sessions for local officials. These sessions focus on game planning and preparing for worst-case scenarios. The organization’s increased activity in 2026 signals a broader understanding of the risks associated with serving in a battleground state. Barton’s message to officials in these areas is direct. She tells them they better be on their game.