Trump's Midterm Meddling Doomed by Timing, Experts Say

Efforts to change voting rules likely to fail due to election preparations already underway, columnist argues.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 9:39pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

President Donald Trump's attempts to impose new voting restrictions ahead of the 2026 midterm elections are unlikely to succeed, according to an analysis by MS NOW columnist Ryan Teague Beckwith. Beckwith explains that election officials across the country have already begun preparations for the upcoming vote, making it too late for the Trump administration or congressional Republicans to make major changes to the voting process.

Why it matters

Trump and GOP lawmakers have pushed for new voting restrictions, raising concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement and undermining public confidence in elections. However, Beckwith argues that the timing of these proposals, just months before the midterms, virtually guarantees they will fail in court.

The details

Beckwith notes that election officials are already checking candidate signatures, finalizing training manuals, and recruiting poll workers - all essential preparations that happen well in advance of an election. He explains that the "even-numbered year rule" generally prevents major changes to voting rules in a year when Americans are voting in a major election, meaning any such changes should have been made before the end of 2025.

  • Election officials across the country have already begun preparations for the 2026 midterm elections.
  • The national "Help America Vote Day" recruiting drive for election workers already happened in late January 2026.

The players

Ryan Teague Beckwith

A columnist for MS NOW who wrote an essay analyzing the likely failure of President Trump's attempts to change voting rules ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump

The former president who has pushed for new voting restrictions that Beckwith argues are unlikely to succeed due to the timing of the proposals.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Right now, in local elections offices from Seattle to Miami and everywhere in between, election administrators are busy checking thousands of signatures submitted by candidates to get on the ballot, putting the finishing touches on training manuals for election judges and poll workers and sending out postcards to verify addresses of voters who haven't cast a ballot recently.”

— Ryan Teague Beckwith, Columnist (MS NOW)

“Judges have long followed a similar principle when deciding cases that would change election rules too close to an election, following the logic that it is better to move forward with an imperfect system than try to change it drastically at the eleventh hour.”

— Ryan Teague Beckwith, Columnist (MS NOW)

The takeaway

Trump and congressional Republicans' attempts to impose new voting restrictions just months before the 2026 midterm elections are likely to fail due to the advanced stage of election preparations across the country. Experts argue that making major changes to voting rules this close to an election would create chaos and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.