Maryland election officials prepare for high scrutiny in 2026 midterms

Maryland election officials are preparing for heightened scrutiny during the 2026 midterm elections, according to WYPR. Alyson McLaughlin, director of the University of Maryland’s Election Resilience Lab, noted that election administrators nationwide are under increased pressure, including frivolous lawsuits and intimidation tactics that complicate their work.

McLaughlin, who has over a decade of experience as a local election official in Montgomery County, described the current environment as unusually strained due to tensions between federal, state, and local governments. She advised election workers to focus on their tasks and leave legal and media challenges to county governments and legal professionals.

Despite the challenges, McLaughlin pointed out that more people are interested in becoming poll workers compared to previous years, which could help ease the workload during the election. She emphasized that increased attention to the voting process can be positive if it focuses on the process itself rather than on unfounded allegations or personal attacks.

She also stressed that legitimate legal challenges to election processes should be resolved through the courts, but warned that many election-related lawsuits lack merit and divert resources from managing elections effectively. McLaughlin highlighted the need to verify rumors promptly, citing an example of a false claim about ICE agents at polling places during her tenure as an election official.