The most-watched election in U.S. history

The 2026 midterms are set to be the most closely observed elections in U.S. history. A multitude of observers will be present, including partisan and nonpartisan entities, Justice Department monitors, activists searching for signs of illegal voting, and citizen journalists documenting their search for irregularities. Studies suggest that increased observation can foster confidence in the election process; however, officials caution that activists expecting to uncover wrongdoing might misinterpret normal occurrences.

Nonpartisan observers could potentially interfere with the election, a concern raised by Andrew Walchuck of Common Cause, a nonpartisan organization recruiting nonpartisan election observers. Andrew Garber of the Brennan Center warns that minor, routine events, such as the casting and counting of millions of ballots, could be misrepresented as nefarious activities by vigilant citizen journalists.

After the 2020 election, observer claims and activist sleuthing fueled challenges to election results, leading to numerous lawsuits from the Trump campaign, which were largely dismissed. Influencers and online activists can quickly turn real-time claims of wrongdoing into a national controversy, even while votes are being cast or counted.

The White House spokesperson, Lauren Bis, asserts that evidence of voter fraud is mounting, and those who illegally vote will face accountability. The DOJ plans to train 1,000 election monitors nationwide, building upon a significant increase in observers during the 2024 midterms. Senate Democrats have established their own election observer force, complementing a new 50-state-plus-territories recruitment initiative by Democratic state parties targeting at least 10,000 election watchers.

The Republican National Committee is expanding its election watch network, set up in 2020, to address potential voter fraud. Anti-ICE activists are adapting ICE watch trainings into poll watching trainings, a response to the Trump administration's consideration of ICE agents at polling stations. Nonpartisan observers, state party and campaign staffers, and international election observers will coexist with these efforts.

State laws govern the rules and terminology for observers, including their proximity to voting machines, tabulation processes, and the documentation of concerns about malpractice. While questioning the election process is a valid exercise for curious citizens, Avery Davis-Roberts of the Carter Center hopes that observation and its findings will help answer questions and dispel misconceptions surrounding the electoral process.