Election Policy Landscape Stabilizes as Midterms Approach: Series Introduction
The 2026 midterm election season is in full swing across America as candidates in competitive races for federal, state, and local office make their case to voters in advance of Election Day on Nov. 3. As in prior midterm cycles, there is widespread interest in how the results will impact the balance of power in Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the nation. The 2026 cycle has been particularly unusual given the high degree of federal policy uncertainty that has loomed over this election and the unknown impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the election ecosystem—both of which have received substantial public attention.
On the policy front, it appears that the overall effect of the congressional proposals, executive orders, and Supreme Court decisions that garnered so much attention over the past two years is largely a preservation of the status quo for the purposes of the 2026 election. This means existing state policies remain in place. Meanwhile, voters, candidates, election officials, and adversaries continue to experiment with AI, making the technology’s overall impacts unknowable.
The purpose of this series is to briefly recap the national debates about citizenship verification, voter ID, mail voting, and the impact of AI on elections from the past two years. The series will also draw on R Street’s Election Policy 50-State Scorecard to provide state-based perspectives on the policies in place for each issue this November, along with the relative strengths and weaknesses of various policy options.
Election administration is primarily a state function, with narrow responsibilities for Congress to regulate federal elections. Nevertheless, the potential for federal action and concerns over emerging technology have loomed large over the entire election ecosystem in recent years. This series is intended to refocus attention on the state laws and policies that govern the administration of elections across America and the trade-offs policymakers face in designing election systems that are worthy of public trust.