National Guard to assist during midterm elections in seven US states — The Hill
At least seven US states have publicly confirmed the involvement of National Guard units in activities related to the November 3 midterm elections. In Washington state, service members in civilian clothing will help monitor ballot drop boxes in seven counties, while in Iowa, Colorado and North Carolina, Guardsmen are being deployed primarily to protect election cyber infrastructure, The Hill reports.
Measures in the states
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson offered counties the “Election Neighborhood Watch” program. Seven counties accepted it, and around 100 National Guard service members are expected to be involved. Ferguson explained the decision by the need to take precautionary measures to protect the election system. He also mentioned the arson attack on a ballot drop box in Vancouver in 2024, when several hundred ballots were damaged, as well as reports of letters containing white powder sent to the secretary of state’s office and several offices of members of Congress.
In North Carolina, the National Guard’s Joint Cybersecurity Task Force will monitor election networks together with the state Emergency Operations Center. Colorado Governor Jared Polis ordered the National Guard to assist with election cyber protection back in June. In Iowa, Guardsmen will work with Secretary of State Paul Pate and state authorities to identify potential cyber threats and strengthen preparedness for them.
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Alabama and Oklahoma National Guard specialists were already involved in October following two separate incidents involving suspicious packages containing white powder that were sent to the Alabama secretary of state’s office and the Oklahoma State Election Board. The possible involvement of the Arizona National Guard was also reported, but the state office did not specify its format.
Attitudes toward military personnel near polling stations
A Democracy and Security Network poll by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, involving 2,800 Americans, found that 59% of respondents believe the president should not use federal troops to oversee or administer elections. Researcher Lauren Voss said that the presence of military personnel near polling stations could heighten concerns about federal interference.
Federal law generally does not allow armed personnel to be deployed at election sites, except in situations where a polling station is attacked and the use of federal forces is necessary. At the same time, state governors are increasingly involving the National Guard in cyber protection and support for local authorities: at least 14 states did so in 2022, and 15 did so in 2024.
