Election interference is a broad term that encompasses any effort to influence voters, from propaganda to disinformation. It can involve hacking, but also more mundane activities such as discussions with friends and neighbors or casual chats with a barista. It can be both domestic and foreign. It can affect how people think about politics and what they care about, as well as the motivations, intentions and context of their voting decisions (Fox, 2024).
Amid a wave of anti-immigration rhetoric, demonization of media outlets, and attacks on civic engagement groups, the US government has been conducting an extensive campaign to undermine the integrity of American elections. Among other things, it has retaliated against individuals and groups that challenge the president’s agenda by targeting their political speech and funding. And it has created task forces that hunt for alleged widespread voter fraud, relying on a false narrative to justify actions that could further erode confidence in our electoral system.
These efforts run afoul of the Constitution, which reserves the right to set election rules and oversight to Congress and state governments. They could even be counterproductive.
For example, the DOJ’s lawsuit against firms that are associated with litigation protecting voting rights could expose sensitive personal information about voters and put them at risk of being doxed or intimidated. It could also be used as justification for improperly pursuing bad-faith election reforms, such as purging thousands of eligible voters from rolls. Moreover, if the DOJ succeeds in pursuing these suits, it will fuel the false narrative that U.S. elections are rife with fraud and provide fodder for attempts to overturn the results of future races.
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