In the wake of Russia’s election interference, attention has focused on how to prevent foreign meddling and how best to combat misinformation. But it’s important to broaden the conversation about election interference to include information vulnerabilities and what constitutes deceptive political speech in a democracy. If our definition of election interference becomes so broad that it simply encompasses all efforts to influence opinion, it may become a hollow accusation like “fake news.”
It’s also crucial for states to safeguard their elections from domestic threats, particularly partisan attacks on voter rights and electoral systems. Election officials should implement the best practices for protecting ballots and preventing bad-faith actions that would disenfranchise voters. For example, Michigan should prohibit the use of firearms at polling places and ballot drop boxes, and Nevada should clarify laws to ensure that mail-in ballots that aren’t mailed in time or suffer minor bureaucratic errors can be cured and rightfully counted.
Finally, local election officials should be confident that they can do their jobs without fear of intimidation or retaliation. Last year Freedom House found that in more than 30 countries, including those that have a reputation for promoting democratic elections and reforms, authorities abused information technologies to undermine electoral processes and suppress political opposition. A survey of local election officials revealed that in 2024 nearly half of them knew of a colleague who had quit their job due to threats or interference. If that continues, it will further erode the integrity of American elections.
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