By: Julia Mueller | July 1, 2026 | The Hill Link
The moves come amid heightened voter distrust in the government and in U.S. elections.
“I think it’s pretty unsurprising to see Democrats putting themselves on the front foot here and trying to be proactive, especially as we’re well into primary season and closer and closer to the general election,” said Michael Hanmer, a University of Maryland political science professor with a focus on voting and elections.
But it’s “a strategic balancing act for Democrats,” Hanmer said, as lawmakers look to take action without further inflaming voter mistrust or debunked fears about voter fraud in past elections.
“If they sit around and do nothing, then only one side is being aired, but I think they have to be careful about how they approach things and reinforce the strength of the system and the faith in the system that they have, and all of the evidence that supports that,” Hanmer said.
