Slotkin-led bill would require Congress to approve any armed federal presence at polls during elections

A group of Democratic U.S. senators, led by Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, hopes to limit the potential for armed military personnel or federal law enforcement at election polling places. 

Slotkin and the seven other legislators introduced the effort on Thursday. 

"President Trump has been saying the quiet part out loud: he wants to undermine our elections any way he can, and he refuses to rule out sending uniformed military to the polls, or to collect ballots and voting machines," Slotkin said. "Our legislation prevents President Trump from weaponizing our military and armed federal officers to interfere in our elections." 

A summary of the Protect Our Polls Act says the bill would apply to any attempt to send federalized National Guard, active duty military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or other federal law enforcement agencies to polling places or to seize election material. 

Federal law already restricts the deployment of military and armed federal forces to polling places, the bill summary explained. A specific exception, which has never been imposed, allows military forces and armed federal agents to be used to repel "armed enemies of the United States."  

In an effort to tighten up the terms of that clause, the Protect Our Polls Act would require Congress to pass a Joint Resolution of Approval. The president would also need to provide Congress with information and evidence that a state or local government could not handle the expected threat at least 48 hours before deploying forces. 

"Our democracy depends on Americans being able to show up to the ballot box and have their voices heard," said Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). "But that's all at risk this November as President Trump openly weighs sending in armed federal agents to our schools, churches, fire stations, and other polling locations." 

The examples that Slotkin provided to support the proposed bill include when Mr. Trump said in February that "Republicans ought to nationalize the voting." 

Additionally, Mr. Trump signed an executive order in March 2026 requiring states to impose stricter rules over mail-in votes and directed his administration to create a list of confirmed U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote in each state.