Voting, Voting Rights, Voter Challenges, Elections, Election Rules & Election Fraud_1

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Russia and Iran may fuel violent post-election protests in the US, intelligence officials warn Tuesday’s warnings in a declassified memo cited two recent examples of foreign intelligence agencies seeking to sow discord ahead of the vote. Read more.

Why this matters: The memo, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said both countries could support violent protests either by covertly organizing events themselves or by encouraging participation in those planned by domestic groups. The aim, the officials wrote, would be to increase division, cast doubt on election results and complicate the transfer of presidential power.   The risk that one of America’s adversaries could encourage political violence after the election is greater this year, officials said, because officials in both nations now have a better understanding of the complicated process the U.S. uses to certify the vote. Russia, China and Iran have all rejected claims that they seek to meddle with the U.S. election.   Concerns about safety have already prompted election workers in some communities to install bulletproof glass and panic buttons because of the risk of election-related incidents.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ MI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots   Harris says she’s ready if Trump tries to prematurely declare victory   Alabama secretary of state assures voters incorrectly registered as “inactive” that they can vote

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A just-stay-calm strategy

It's likely the election winner won't be known the night of Nov. 5. It may not even be clear the morning after. Or the day after.

• But that doesn't mean the eventual results were rigged, manipulated or wrong, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column.

Why it matters: Sluggish vote counts could fuel distrust in the election, spark protests and paralyze governance. Both parties are preparing to challenge ballots, especially if mail-in or absentee votes are decisive in swing states, raising the possibility of prolonged court fights.

? Big money will be spent to confuse you: GOP donors and conservative billionaires has given $140 million to 50 "election integrity" groups, as part of a potential Stop the Steal 2.0 if the vote doesn't go former President Trump's way, The Wall Street Journal reports on today's front page (gift link)

• Nearly half of Republican candidates for Congress or top state offices (at least 236) have used social media to cast doubt on the election, The Washington Post found (gift link).

?️ The big picture: If the results are delayed, the U.S. could enter a period of legal drama, political gridlock and even civil unrest.

• Because of post-2020 legal changes across the country, including in all seven swing states, many results could be slower than in 2020 — when Biden officially went over the top on Saturday, four days after Election Day.
• Both sides' legal teams are more organized this time, increasing the chances for drawn-out legal challenges: "If the election is very close, then it's going to be litigated to the hilt," election law expert Rick Hasen predicts.

? Between the lines: During those hours or days of limbo, fake and manipulated news will proliferate to the point that even cautious news consumers will be in danger of falling for falsehoods.

• We saw this after the recent hurricanes, where conspiracy theorists pushed false stories about the storm's origins and the government's response, leading to threats against weathermen and FEMA workers. Expect the same on Election Day.

Aggressive foreign enemies are already trying to mess with the election: The office of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said yesterday that it had repelled a cyberattack, believed to have come from a foreign country, against a website for requesting absentee ballots.

? What you can do: An easy solution would be to cut back on the time you spend tweeting or reading X.

• There's high-quality news and information on X. But it's commingled with misinformation, conjecture and nonsense.
• Be equally careful on all social media platforms. Don't share, like or react to anything you're not certain is real. If you think it's fake, assume it is until it's proven otherwise.

? Pick a few trustworthy accounts rather than gorging on whatever pops up.

• Dave Wasserman of Cook Political Report (@redistrict) is an essential follow if you want live play-by-play of crucial counties, as are the two Nates — @NateSilver538 and @Nate_Cohn.
• Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) is your man in Nevada ... Garrett Archer (@Garrett_Archer) in Arizona ... Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution crew in Georgia.

Go deeper: How vote counting will work in the seven swing states, drawn from Axios reporting + a series of AP "Decision Notes."

• Axios' Zachary Basu contributed reporting.