U.S. Senate Democrats cite insufficient election workers ahead of midterms

[October 15, 2022]  By Moira Warburton
 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of U.S. Senate Democrats sounded the alarm over a lack of election workers ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm voting, citing threats and harassment as hurdles to recruiting crucial staff. 

City employees set up voting booths the day before Michigan Democrats and Republicans choose their nominees to contest November's congressional elections, which will determine which party controls U.S. House of Representatives for next two years, in Birmingham, Michigan, U.S. Aug. 1, 2022. REUTERS/Emily Elconin/File Photo/File Photo

In an Oct. 6 letter to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 13 Senate Democrats and two independents aligned with Democrats called for the federal agency to step up efforts to support states in recruiting workers needed to run next month's midterm elections.

Voters will cast ballots across the United States in races for Congress, governor and many other state and local positions. Republicans are optimistic of seizing control of the U.S. House of Representatives and possibly even the Senate, which are narrowly controlled by Democrats currently.

"Recruitment efforts have been further hampered by the increase in threats and harassment targeting election workers," the letter stated. "We urge you to take additional actions to ensure election officials have the information and resources necessary to address these ongoing shortages."

The letter cited states such as Texas, which have been forced to close polling stations due to a lack of staff.

Threats against poll workers have sharply increased since the lead up to the 2020 election, when former President Donald Trump began making unfounded claims about massive election fraud.

Since then, numerous court cases, non-partisan audits and even Trump's Department of Justice rejected his claims.

At least ten states are considering stronger protections for election administrators who have faced a campaign of terror inspired by Trump’s baseless claims of a "stolen" election in 2020.

Reuters documented more than 850 threats and hostile messages to election workers and officials nationwide in a series of investigative reports.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Washington; Editing by Richard Cowan and Alistair Bell)

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