1. United States
2. Ky.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose any effort to federalize or nationalize the administration of elections in our state. President Trump recently called on Republicans to "take over" and "nationalize" voting in "at least many, 15 places," claiming that certain states are "so crooked" in how they count votes. This proposal fundamentally contradicts the constitutional framework that has governed American elections since our founding. The Constitution explicitly grants states the authority to conduct federal elections through the elections clause, which establishes that state legislatures determine the times, places, and manner of holding elections for Congress. This decentralized system protects against concentrated federal power and allows states to tailor election procedures to their communities' needs. Any attempt to strip states of this constitutional authority would represent an unprecedented expansion of federal control. The justification offered for this proposal rests on claims of widespread noncitizen voting, yet election security experts consistently confirm that such instances are incredibly rare and already illegal under federal law. Our current system includes robust safeguards, and there is no evidence of systemic problems that would warrant dismantling state authority over elections. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accurately described this proposal as "outlandishly illegal" when he addressed it on the Senate floor. The White House has suggested that Trump's vision includes uniform photo ID standards, prohibiting no-excuse mail-in voting, and ending ballot harvesting. While election security measures deserve thoughtful consideration, they must be pursued through constitutional means that respect state sovereignty, not through federal takeover. I ask that you publicly oppose any legislation or executive action that would federalize election administration and reaffirm your commitment to protecting state authority over elections as guaranteed by the Constitution. Our democratic system depends on the checks and balances that federalism provides.