Donald Trump’s call to “nationalize the voting” is a direct assault on America’s state-run election system
Blue Press Journal
In a recent interview, President Donald Trump escalated his long-standing assault on U.S. election integrity by urging allies (Republicans) to “take over” the voting process in key states. His call for Republicans to “nationalize the voting” is not just inflammatory rhetoric; it is a direct challenge to the constitutional framework that has safeguarded American democracy for centuries.
This proposition is fundamentally at odds with the U.S. Constitution and represents a dangerous path toward the partisan manipulation of elections.
The Foundational Principle: State Control of Elections
The U.S. electoral system is intentionally decentralized. The Constitution, through the Tenth Amendment, reserves all powers not explicitly granted to the federal government to the states. This includes the administration of elections.
This state-level control is a feature, not a bug. It creates a robust system where a single point of failure or federal overreach cannot easily compromise a national election. As the Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan law and policy institute, notes, this diffusion of power is a critical bulwark against centralized election manipulation.
Trump’s idea to “nationalize” this process would dismantle this structure, consolidating power in a way the Founders explicitly sought to avoid. It is an overt push for one political party to seize the machinery of democracy itself.
Debunked Claims Undermining Public Trust
This call to action is predicated on the repeatedly debunked “Big Lie” that the 2020 election was stolen. The facts are clear and overwhelming:
- Election officials from both parties certified the results.
- Dozens of judges, including many appointed by Trump, dismissed over 60 lawsuits due to a lack of evidence.
- Trump’s own Attorney General, William Barr, stated the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have altered the outcome.
Continuing to promote these falsehoods, as Trump does, severely erodes public trust. When a leader insists a system is rigged only when they lose, they lay the groundwork to justify seizing control of that system for their own benefit.
A Chilling Precedent for Federal Overreach
This is not a theoretical concern. The Trump administration previously tested the limits of federal power over state elections. In 2017, his Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity attempted to compel states to turn over sensitive voter data. As reported by The New York Times, numerous states from both parties refused, citing significant privacy and federal overreach concerns.
This history reveals a consistent pattern: an attempt to centralize election control under a partisan banner, justified by baseless claims of fraud.
Why This is Bad for America
A move to nationalize or partisanly “take over” election administration would have devastating consequences:
- Constitutional Crisis: It would ignite a legal battle between states and the federal government, destabilizing the very rule of law.
- Loss of Legitimacy: Elections perceived as controlled by one party lose their legitimacy in the eyes of the losing side, leading to increased political instability.
- Voter Suppression: Centralized, partisan control could lead to the systematic manipulation of voter rolls, polling place locations, and ballot counting to favor one party.
The integrity of U.S. elections depends on their impartial administration. Abandoning this principle for partisan gain doesn’t just risk losing an election—it risks losing the democratic system itself. Defending the decentralized, state-run model is essential to preserving a government of, by, and for the people.
Blue Press Journal 