Currently, Donald Trump and his administration are making a systematic attack on our democracy and free and fair elections. We are facing state election interference, rigging of voting districts, and barriers to the women’s vote.
Federal Overreach: Demanding State Election Records
One of the most alarming moves is the demand for states to hand over detailed election records. This includes private voter data, internal communications, and sensitive information that states are not required to share with Washington.
Here’s the problem: our system was designed so states control their own elections. That separation is what prevents the president from manipulating the outcome. When the federal government pressures states to turn over records, it isn’t just overstepping the law — it’s an intimidation tactic. It’s a way to spread doubt, create false claims of fraud, and make people lose trust in free and fair elections. That is exactly the kind of tactic dictators use to stay in power.
Gerrymandering and the Rigging of Free Elections
Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing voting maps to guarantee one party wins. With today’s data tools, politicians can carve districts so precisely that they silence the voices of whole communities.
Think of it like this: it’s as if a referee in a basketball game could redraw the court so their team’s basket was twice as close as their opponent’s. The game might still look fair on the surface — but it’s rigged from the start.
Gerrymandering flips democracy on its head. Instead of voters choosing their leaders, politicians choose their voters. The result? Fewer competitive races, entrenched incumbents, and outcomes decided before ballots are even cast. That is not a free and fair election.
Suppressing Women’s Voting Rights in America
According to National Public Radio, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, recently passed in the House, would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship—such as birth certificates, passports, or naturalization papers—for voter registration, a move supporters say protects against fraud despite studies showing voter fraud is rare.
Critics warn the bill could disproportionately affect up to 69 million married women whose names no longer match their birth certificates, as well as Americans without passports, creating new barriers to voting. Legal experts told NPR that while marriage certificates or court decrees might help, many women may face financial, bureaucratic, and logistical hurdles to obtain them, potentially discouraging participation. They also noted the law’s vague provisions could lead to inconsistent enforcement across states, raising the risk of disenfranchisement in already closely contested elections.
The Bigger Picture: Distrust, Disempower, Disenfranchise
These tactics — federal overreach, gerrymandering, and suppression — are not separate. They form a playbook:
-
Distrust: Spread doubt in election results by demanding state records.
-
Disempower: Rig maps so votes don’t count equally.
-
Disenfranchise: Block or silence voters, especially women and marginalized groups.
Put together, this strategy creates elections that look free but are controlled beneath the surface. That’s democracy in name only.
Why the 2025 Elections Are at Risk
The danger isn’t abstract — it’s happening now. States are already being pressured for records. Gerrymandered maps are locking in unfair advantages in key battlegrounds. And attacks on women’s rights are stripping away political power from millions.
If we allow this to continue, the next election could be the most compromised in modern history. And once trust in elections is gone, it is nearly impossible to rebuild.
Defending Democracy Before It’s Too Late
So what can we do?
-
States must defend their constitutional right to run elections without illegal federal interference.
-
Courts must strike down gerrymandered maps that undermine representation.
-
Voters must see restrictions on women’s rights as not only a health issue, but also a democracy issue.
-
And all of us must keep saying the phrase that matters most: free and fair elections.
Conclusion: Our Test, Our Responsibility
Every generation is tested on whether it will protect democracy. Ours is being tested right now. If we allow federal overreach, gerrymandering, and voter suppression to stand, we won’t just lose one election. We’ll lose the very principle of government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The warning signs are clear. The threats are real. The time to act — and to defend free and fair elections — is now.