How a largely forgotten Supreme Court case can help prevent an executive branch takeover of federal elections

An FBI raid on a Georgia elections facility has sparked concern about Trump administration interference in the 2026 midterms. An obscure 1970s Supreme Court case provides guardrails against that.

By: Derek T. Muller, University of Notre Dame, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 13, 2026

Words: 1,429

Last Updated: 6 days, 15 hours ago

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By Derek T. Muller, University of Notre Dame

The February FBI search of the Fulton County, Georgia, elections facility and the seizure of election-related materials pursuant to a warrant has attracted concern for what it might mean for future elections.

What if a determined executive branch used federal law enforcement to seize election materials to sow distrust in the results of the 2026 midterm congressional elections?

Courts and states should be wary when …

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