State governments — especially those with independent election systems or dissenting legal rulings — are reframed as obstructionist or “illegitimate.” In response, the federal executive attempts to assert overriding authority in the name of election integrity, national security, or constitutional supremacy.
This may occur through legislation, reinterpretation of the Electors Clause, or judicial challenges aimed at weakening state discretion. Tactics could include pressuring state legislatures to decertify elections, invalidating state court decisions, or invoking federal supremacy to override voting procedures, prosecutorial independence, or state-level investigations.
Historical parallels include Germany in the 1930s, where local governments were stripped of authority; Hungary, where municipal powers were collapsed under centralized rule; and Russia, where federal law overruled independent election bodies.
What to Watch For
- Executive statements or legal memos claiming federal authority over state-run elections
- DOJ or federal agencies intervening in local legal matters or investigations
- Congress advancing laws to centralize election procedures or certification processes
- Political pressure or threats against secretaries of state, governors, or state judges
- Expansion of federal lawsuits challenging state voting outcomes
- New agencies or task forces created to “oversee election integrity” at the national level