60 Million Voters Cast Ballots Ahead of Midterm Election Day

Bernalillo County residents joined millions of Americans on Tuesday to cast ballots in the midterm elections. David Becker, founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, stated that nearly 60 million voters have already participated with few reported problems. Becker, a former Justice Department voting rights lawyer, expressed confidence in the mechanics of the voting process itself.

His assurance comes as voting rights and immigrant advocacy groups brace for potential federal presence near polling places. Although the Trump administration has stated it has no plans to deploy agents, one organization in Arizona has trained more than 100 community members to monitor sites for irregularities. Becker cited federal law 18 U.S.C. 592, which restricts armed personnel near polls and allows for up to five years in prison for violations.

Becker advised media outlets and online users to avoid overreacting to out-of-context images of officers near voting locations. He argued that such speculation could unnecessarily alarm voters and discourage them from casting their ballots. Election officials have prepared for routine disruptions such as traffic jams and bad weather, but Becker expects most voters to face short waits.

The expert’s primary concern lies in the period following the close of polls. Becker predicted that losing candidates and parties would claim the election was rigged despite the security and verification measures in place. "I think we expect to hear statements from losing candidates and losing parties that the election was rigged when we know, of course, that our elections are secure and verified," Becker said.

These comments were made during a conversation with NPR’s Steve Inskeep. The digital version of the report was edited by Treye Green.