Protecting the Vote | Washington Monthly

Could the Clerk of the House lead a midterm coup? Garrett Epps looks to 1863 and 1865 for warnings about our current crisis.

Law and Justice

Can the House Clerk Lead a Midterm Coup?

by Garrett Epps September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

It’s happened before. History underscores how rickety our elections and democracy are.

Several media organizations failed in their coverage of the federal courts’ actions on Trump’s executive order about mail-in voting.

Protecting the Vote

Media’s Misleading Voting Coverage Poses Dangers

by Joshua A. Douglas September 7, 2026September 4, 2026

Trump has floated ways to disrupt the 2026 midterms, from mail voting crackdowns to ICE at the polls. Here’s why voters still have power.

Law and Justice

Trump’s Election Subversion Plans?

by Garrett Epps July 6, 2026July 15, 2026

A fictional but plausible dispatch from 2027 shows why Trump’s rolling coup against the midterms will likely fail.

Protecting the Vote

Stopping Trump’s Rolling Coup

by Jonathan Alter June 19, 2026June 18, 2026

Ballots are inspected the day after California’s primary election at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in City of Industry, California.

The Power of Vote at Home

by Phil Keisling June 17, 2026June 17, 2026

Vote While You Still Can

by Anne Kim May 10, 2026May 9, 2026

Law and Justice

The Plot to Destroy the Voting Rights Act

by Joshua A. Douglas April 30, 2026April 30, 2026

Law and Justice

In Kentucky, Impeachment Threatens Judicial Independence

by Joshua A. Douglas March 26, 2026March 25, 2026

Trump's Election Threats: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington.

Protecting the Vote

Don’t Panic About Trump’s Election Threats

by Joshua A. Douglas February 23, 2026February 22, 2026

President Donald Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Washington.

How Worried Should Democrats Be About Trump Stealing the Next Election?

by Bill Scher February 6, 2026February 5, 2026