Ahead of midterms, Trump’s DOJ is targeting voting in three of the most pivotal swing-state counties
Democracy Docket • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to challenge the voting process in three key, predominantly non-white counties—Wayne County, Michigan; Fulton County, Georgia; and Maricopa County, Arizona—critical to upcoming elections.
- The Department of Justice recently demanded 2024 election records from Wayne County following an FBI raid in Fulton County and a subpoena in Maricopa County, actions based on debunked claims of voter fraud from the 2020 election.
- These counties are pivotal in competitive races for the U.S. Senate, House, and governor positions, with potential influence on the 2028 presidential election, making efforts to reduce voter turnout there particularly impactful for Trump and the GOP.
- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel criticized the DOJ's actions as baseless attempts to intimidate election officials and spread fear, highlighting that detected cases of voter fraud were rare and addressed by local safeguards.
- Election experts like David Becker view the DOJ's campaign as weakening, noting a pattern of retreat and misuse of law enforcement powers for political propaganda rather than legitimate investigation.
