Some Democratic secretaries of state expressed frustration over what they saw as belated efforts by the Trump administration to enhance election security before the midterm elections. They described the outreach as ‘too little, too late.’

A voter is pictured entering a voting booth at a polling station in Colebrook, New Hampshire, as seen in a 2024 file photo by Joseph Prezioso for AFP via Getty Images.

On August 12, 2026, at 2:20 PM EDT, it was reported that over a year after dismantling the main federal office responsible for securing U.S. elections and weeks after removing the remaining members of a key bipartisan election assistance agency, the Trump administration has expressed willingness to assist states in safeguarding their election systems ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.