Trump Administration Pressures States for Voter Data and Voting Machine Access Ahead of 2026 Midterms
In a move raising alarm across the political spectrum, the Trump administration and its allies are ramping up efforts to acquire sensitive voter data and gain access to voting equipment from several U.S. states, according to a bombshell investigation by The Washington Post. The actions come as former President Donald Trump continues to push false claims of election fraud and aims to build an advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Unusual Activity in Colorado
The most eyebrow-raising activity appears to be centered in Colorado. A consultant named Jeff Small, who has ties to members of Congress and previously served as chief of staff for controversial Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, allegedly contacted multiple county clerks requesting that federal officials or third parties be permitted to inspect voting machines.
“That’s a hard stop for me,” Weld County Clerk Carly Koppes, a Republican, told the Post. “Nobody gets access to my voting equipment, for security reasons.”
According to the report, Small claimed to be acting on behalf of the Trump administration—a claim that remains unconfirmed by the White House. When contacted by The Washington Post, Small hung up on the reporter.
DOJ Demands Voter Data from States Under Bondi’s Direction
In a parallel move, the U.S. Department of Justice, now led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, has formally requested comprehensive voter roll data from at least nine states. At least two states have complied, while others are resisting, citing privacy concerns and constitutional limits on federal authority.
Under Bondi’s direction, DOJ attorneys are also seeking meetings with state officials to discuss compliance with an executive order signed by President Trump. That order aims to shift key powers over elections from the states to the federal government—a move legal experts say could fundamentally alter the U.S. electoral system.
Although several provisions of the order—such as proof-of-citizenship requirements and altered mail-in ballot deadlines—have been blocked by the courts, a central piece remains: mandated data-sharing between states and federal agencies. Bondi has argued this measure is essential to “restore public trust” in the voting process, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud in recent elections.
Bipartisan Pushback
Election officials both Republican and Democrat have expressed growing concern over the Trump administration’s actions, which many view as federal overreach. A bipartisan legal briefing attended by officials from more than 30 states was held on July 14 to examine the legal implications.
“This is an extraordinary imposition of federal power over states’ election processes,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. “If it is accepted by the states in this context, it will absolutely be used by Democrats in another.”
Becker, a veteran of both the Clinton and Bush administrations, emphasized that elections in the U.S. are constitutionally under state jurisdiction, with only limited federal oversight permitted.
Echoes of the Past
The Trump team’s actions mirror those of his first term, when a presidential commission demanded voter roll data from all 50 states—a move that sparked backlash and was ultimately scrapped. At the time, Mississippi’s Republican Secretary of State famously told the commission to “go jump in the Gulf of Mexico.”
This time, the stakes are higher. The 2026 midterms could determine control of Congress and governorships across the country. Trump and his allies appear to be laying the groundwork for a nationalized voter surveillance system under the guise of election integrity.
Fallout from Election Breaches
Election officials’ wariness is rooted in recent history. Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, a Trump ally, was convicted of election interference in 2022 after giving unauthorized access to secure systems. She was sentenced to nine years in prison.
In a surprising turn, the DOJ supported Peters’ appeal earlier this year, a decision that only intensified suspicion among local election offices about the current administration’s true motives.
Trump’s Never-Ending Election Lies
Despite losing the 2020 election and his claims being debunked by courts and investigators, Trump continues to push his narrative of a stolen election. On July 11, he posted on Truth Social that Attorney General Pam Bondi was investigating what he called the “Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020.”
Samantha Tarazi, CEO of the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab, issued a warning:
“President Trump and his allies are trying to lay the groundwork to interfere with free and fair elections in 2026.”
As state officials prepare for what is likely to be one of the most contentious and high-stakes election cycles in American history, the push to nationalize election data under Trump’s direction has sent a clear message, one that many officials believe undermines the very democracy it claims to protect.
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