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Why the 26 secretary of state races this November matter more than they did before Trump’s drive to assert federal authority over elections
Federal lawsuits and executive orders have put 26 state election contests at the center of disputes over voter rolls, citizenship checks and mail ballots.
- Secretary of state contests in 26 states are gaining importance in 2026 as conflicts intensify over whether federal or state governments should hold primary authority over American election administration.
- The Trump administration has sought to expand federal oversight of elections, demanding statewide voter registration lists and requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register through federal forms.
- On Oct. 9, 2026, a federal judge struck down the DOJ's nationwide voter list collection policy, ruling the agency lacked authority to collect state files and compare them with federal citizenship databases.
- The number of Secretary of state candidates denying the legitimacy of the 2020 election has declined from 13 in 2022 to seven in 2026, though disputes over election administration persist.
- Voters in 2026 are choosing officials who may soon decide how states respond to Washington's efforts to assert authority over elections, with these offices influencing outcomes well beyond the 2028 presidential election.
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Why the 26 secretary of state races this November matter more than they did before Trump’s drive to assert federal authority over elections
Secretaries of state are at the center of growing conflict over how election authority should be divided between states and the federal government. There are 26 elections for the job this November.
·Washington, United States
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Total News Sources22
Leaning Left4Leaning Right3Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution68% Center
Bias Distribution
- 68% of the sources are Center
68% Center
L 18%
C 68%
14%
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