In an age where Republicans at all levels of government are going to extremes to undermine democracy via gerrymandering and voter suppression, which party runs state elections under our system of federalism is more important than it has been in years. Thanks to the GOP’s dominance of state elections this decade, Republicans control the levers of election administration in most of the states, as shown on the map above.
Fortunately, with Donald Trump and the GOP’s national unpopularity on this Election Day, Democrats are poised to pick up scores of important state and legislative offices that will determine who runs election administration in the states. These offices include separately elected secretaries of state who directly oversee elections, but some states instead have governors or legislators appoint those who control elections.
Democratic gains in these offices will be critical for preserving fair elections in 2020, too. Indeed, Democratic candidates for secretary of state can play a critical role in making sure voting is easier and more accessible, whereas Republicans have engaged in voter purges that target voters of color and Democrats. Team Blue has a good chance at picking up these offices in states like Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Ohio. For Democrats committed to fair elections, winning in these key swing states would be a major victory for democracy itself.