Who Controls Your Next Vote? Simple Actions to Protect Your Ballot

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump publicly called for Republicans to “nationalize the voting” and “take over the voting in at least 15 places.” He cited claims of election corruption and noncitizen voting but did not provide evidence or a legal framework for how such a takeover would occur.

These comments matter because how elections are run affects every American voter, regardless of party, ideology, or past support. Understanding the facts about elections, voter fraud, and your rights is essential to protecting your ballot.

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What the Constitution Actually Says

Elections in the United States are primarily run by the states, not the President. This is intentional, designed to protect the integrity of elections and prevent the concentration of power.

State authority: Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution gives states the authority to set the times, places, and manner of federal elections. This means governors, secretaries of state, and local election officials manage the logistics of voting, from registration to ballot counting.
Congressional authority: Congress can only change federal election rules through legislation, not executive orders. Even then, changes often require careful coordination with states.
Presidential limits: The President has no constitutional authority to “take over” or nationalize elections. Any attempt to do so would be both illegal and unprecedented.

This decentralized system was built to protect voters from nationwide political interference and to ensure that local communities maintain control over how elections are run.

Learn more:

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Claims of Widespread Voter Fraud Do Not Match the Data

Evidence is clear: widespread voter fraud is extremely rare, and noncitizen voting has no measurable effect on election outcomes.

Research on noncitizen voting: A comprehensive academic review of over 23 million votes cast in the 2016 election found only about 30 possible cases of noncitizen voting. That’s a rate of roughly 0.0001%.
Georgia audit: Over a 25-year period, a Georgia audit found roughly 1,600 noncitizens attempted to register, but none successfully voted.
Legal protections: Federal law treats noncitizen voting as a felony. False claims of citizenship carry severe criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

These findings confirm that claims of large-scale noncitizen voting are unsupported by data. Election integrity is strong, and the risks of fraud are already minimal.

Source:

Brennan Center for Justice research

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Why Nationalizing Elections Creates New Risks

Centralizing elections does not increase trust. In fact, it introduces new dangers:

Concentration of power: Federal control over local elections would give partisan actors unprecedented influence, making it easier for political interference to occur, regardless of which party is in power.
Displacement of local expertise: Local election officials understand the unique needs and challenges of their communities. Nationalizing elections would sideline the officials who have managed elections successfully for decades.
Bipartisan opposition: Republican and Democratic state leaders have consistently rejected federal takeover proposals as unconstitutional and dangerous. Centralization would remove proven safeguards built into the decentralized system.

Decentralized election administration has long been a cornerstone of American democracy, protecting both access and security.

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Protecting Democracy Without Federal Takeover

Election integrity and voter access are not mutually exclusive. Strengthening elections does not require nationalizing them.

Effective ways to strengthen elections:

Invest in local infrastructure: Secure voting machines, ballot scanners, and well-trained staff ensure that elections run smoothly and accurately.
Conduct transparent audits: Independent post-election audits with public reporting increase confidence in election results.
Provide clear voter education: Americans should know how, when, and where to vote, including how to correct errors and request assistance if needed.

Trusted resources:

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What Ordinary Americans Can Do Right Now

Democracy does not defend itself. It depends on informed and engaged citizens. Here’s how you can make a difference:

Check your voter registration early: Election Day problems often occur because voters wait too long to verify their registration. Use your state’s official website or Vote.gov to confirm your status.
Help someone else vote: Seniors, first-time voters, and people who recently moved are more likely to encounter barriers. Assisting even one person protects access to the ballot.
Volunteer locally: Poll workers and election volunteers are essential to fair elections. They ensure transparency and accountability, and their work is typically bipartisan or nonpartisan.
Stay informed with facts, not rumors: Ask for evidence when you hear claims about fraud or election interference. Share verified information instead of speculation.

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How You Can Support One Nation Every Vote (OneV)

OneV works across political lines to provide fact-based election information, nonpartisan voting stories, and practical tools that help Americans protect their right to vote.

You can support this work in three powerful ways:

Join our community: Enter your email on our homepage to receive nonpartisan updates on voting rights, election policy, and actionable steps to protect the vote.
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Take action to protect your vote: Check out the OneV Stop the Save Act landing page for detailed resources on how to safeguard your right to vote and stop attempts to undermine elections. These tools show you exactly what you can do to make a difference in your community.
Click here to access OneV’s Stop the Act landing page.
Donate to support this work: Contributions help OneV research election laws, counter misinformation, share real voting stories, and provide resources that maximize lawful voter participation.
Click here 👉 to donate to OneV

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The Bottom Line

Calls to nationalize elections are not reform—they threaten the constitutional safeguards that protect every American voter.

Democracy works best when:

Power is decentralized
Rules are transparent
Citizens are informed and engaged

This is not a partisan issue. It is a shared responsibility. OneV exists to help Americans meet that responsibility with facts, tools, and actionable guidance.

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Share this article. Stay informed. Protect the vote.
One Nation. Every Vote.