Kelly, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stop Trump from Using Military or Federal Law Enforcement to Interfere with Elections

This week, Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Protect Our Polls Act to protect the integrity of American elections from federal interference by armed military or federal law enforcement. This follows Kelly’s effort to protect Americans’ right to vote in free and fair elections. In April, Kelly, alongside Senator Gallego, demanded an immediate end to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) sham investigation into the 2020 presidential election results in Arizona that is based on debunked conspiracy theories. Kelly also recently introduced the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act and has called out the U.S. Supreme Court and Republicans for making it harder for Americans to vote. “Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. The idea that a president would send troops or armed agents to polling places to intimidate voters is un-American and illegal,” said Kelly. “Federal law has protected polling places from military interference since the Civil War for a reason. President Trump has made clear he thinks he can ignore those limits. We’re making sure he can’t.” “President Trump has been saying the quiet part out loud: he wants to undermine our elections any way he can, and he refuses to rule out sending uniformed military to the polls, or to collect ballots and voting machines,” said Slotkin. “Our legislation prevents President Trump from weaponizing our military and armed federal officers to interfere in our elections. From 2020 until just last week, President Trump has worked to sow doubt in our election results, and I am glad to be joined by Senators from across the country, especially states like Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, and Wisconsin which, along with Michigan, the president has targeted. All states that may very well decide who controls the House and Senate.” “Our democracy depends on Americans being able to show up to the ballot box and have their voices heard,” said Baldwin. “But that’s all at risk this November as President Trump openly weighs sending in armed federal agents to our schools, churches, fire stations, and other polling locations.  President Trump has shown time and again he’s willing to use and abuse the full force of the federal government to intimidate and harm Americans, punish his enemies, and get his way. And that is just what he is trying to do this November because he is afraid accountability is coming for him. We can’t allow President Trump to come between Americans and their constitutional right to vote, and that’s why we are fighting to protect Americans’ access to the ballot box, stop President Trump from surging federal agents to our polling locations, and make sure your voice is heard.” “As a Marine, I took an oath to the Constitution, not a president. As did all troops. Using our servicemembers to intimidate Americans at the polls is disgusting, illegal, and exactly the kind of abuse this bill stops cold,” said Gallego. “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and the freedom to vote is fundamental,” said Klobuchar. “Yet we continue to see unprecedented attacks on our democracy and on voting rights, as well as concerns that federal officers could be deployed to polling locations to intimidate voters. This legislation reiterates that those attempts at voter intimidation are unlawful and protects Americans’ constitutional right to vote.” “Our elections have been kept safe and reliable by state and local officials during the entire history of our nation. There is absolutely no need for federal troops to be stationed outside of polls, and any such attempt is part of Donald Trump’s efforts to intimidate eligible voters,” said Rosen . “Not only would this action be unlawful, it goes against the political foundation of this country and threatens every American’s right to vote. I’m proud to help introduce this critical legislation to prevent Donald Trump from sending military troops to polling locations to intimidate law-abiding Americans.” “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy,” said Padilla. “No American should have to pass a line of federal troops, ICE agents, or armed officers to exercise that right. The Protect Our Polls Act will make sure they never have to.” “This administration has made clear that they will stop at nothing to prevent the American people from making their voices heard this November,” said Warnock. “The attacks we are seeing on voting rights are a testament to the strength of our voices when we stand up, speak out, and participate in our democracy. We must act now to confront this threat and protect every American’s right to vote. Our democracy is on the line.” Background: Every American has the right to vote without fear or intimidation, and recently, Donald Trump has threatened to use military and federal law enforcement to interfere with polling places. This bill will stop this illegal and un-American effort from taking place now and in the future. The Protect our Polls Act strengthens existing federal law that restricts the deployment of military forces and armed federal agents to polling places. It sets additional guardrails by requiring the President notify Congress and obtain Congressional consent before the President can send troops or federal law enforcement to election sites. The President must also provide Congress with intel, legal justification, and evidence that state or local government cannot handle a threat on their own, at least 48 hours before deploying forces. Click here to read the full text of the bill and here for a one-pager.