Trump Administration Blocks International Election Observers for 2026 Midterms

The Trump administration plans to deploy 1,000 federal election monitors for the upcoming midterms, a figure that nearly doubles the 590 officials sent out during the 2024 election cycle. This internal expansion comes alongside a historic decision to exclude international observers from the process, marking a sharp break from a two-decade tradition of transparency in American elections.

For 24 years, the United States has invited monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to watch presidential and midterm races. The group, specifically the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, has reported on U.S. elections since 2002. The administration has now decided to stop inviting these observers, a move that places the U.S. in the same category as nations like Russia and Belarus, whose recent elections faced widespread criticism for lacking independent oversight.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the outgoing ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the decision in a statement. She described the choice to exclude international observers as antithetical to the spirit of democracy and transparency. Shaheen urged the administration to respect the role of independent monitors and hold the U.S. to the same standards it expects of other democratic nations.

The OSCE monitors do not have the power to enforce rules or declare an election legitimate. Their role is to assess the voting environment and provide recommendations to align the process with established democratic commitments. By keeping them out, the administration removes a layer of external scrutiny that has historically encouraged other countries with fragile democracies to open their own elections to observation.

While rejecting outside monitors, the Department of Justice is increasing its own presence. In July, the DOJ sent letters to every state’s chief election official, warning that administrators could face prosecution if they knowingly allowed noncitizens to vote. The department has also demanded that states provide voter rolls for federal inspection. Federal judges have blocked these demands in 26 separate instances, ruling that the administration lacks the legal authority to force state officials to surrender such data.

In June, a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop using a centralized national immigration database to screen voter rolls. However, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed that decision last month, allowing the expanded database to be used for this purpose. This month, under the direction of DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reviewed tens of millions of voter rolls in search of noncitizen voters.

Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee suggested that the lack of international observers signals a desire to limit what is seen on Election Day. He told The Hill that the decision implies the administration has "hijinks" it intends to execute, making the absence of independent witnesses a notable development in the lead-up to November.