States Must Protect Against Election Interference

Blue states should pass laws now to protect against election interference and subversion this November. 1. Ban third-party voter challenges and other forms of vigilantism. States must prohibit anyone — including the federal government — from challenging a person’s voter registration or right to vote. The practice of compiling private voter databases to challenge voters they want removed from the rolls should be banned outright. 2. Provide criminal and civil remedies for voter intimidation. States must enact new laws that provide stronger protections against voter harassment and intimidation. These laws must allow for both civil and criminal remedies and cover a broad range of threats. 3. Revise and strengthen election-certification laws. We must recognize that the weakest point in our election process is often the post-election counting and certification phase. Blue-state certification laws must be updated with modern language that unambiguously defines certification as a ministerial duty. These laws should allow private parties and state officials to sue to compel certification and impose criminal penalties on election deniers. State courts should also be empowered to certify elections when election officials fail to meet their obligations.