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US midterms 2026: international assessment highlights risks to electoral integrity and recognises institutional resilience
Ahead of the 3 November elections, MEMO 98 and Election-Watch.EU publish their pre-election assessment, examining growing pressures on electoral integrity and the resilience of election officials, civil society and democratic institutions.
MEMO 98 and Election-Watch.EU have published the Pre-Election Report of the International Remote Election Assessment (IREA) of the 2026 US midterm elections. The two organisations jointly lead the assessment, and both are members of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD).
Drawing on previous findings of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the report examines how the electoral environment has changed since 2024 and the implications for electoral integrity.
The report recognises the professionalism and commitment of state and local election officials, alongside the mobilisation of civil society organisations for election observation, voter protection, education and legal assistance. Judicial review and decentralised election administration remain important safeguards, although some court decisions have narrowed electoral protections.
“Election officials and civil society organisations are showing resilience despite growing political pressure. Their commitment deserves recognition. Independent scrutiny remains essential, while safeguards against interference will face further tests during counting, certification and electoral disputes,” said Armin Rabitsch of Election-Watch.EU.
At the same time, the assessment identifies significant challenges. Increased federal executive intervention, including investigations and demands for sensitive voter data, has raised concerns about the potential partisan use of government authority and resources. Reduced federal election-security support, persistent threats and uneven resources add to pressures on election officials.
Mid-decade redistricting and unequal voting and ballot-access requirements raise concerns about electoral equality. Immigration enforcement has also generated concerns about potential voter intimidation.
The report highlights challenges to transparency and informed participation, including record independent expenditures for this stage of a midterm cycle, opaque political financing, pressure on independent journalism and misleading electoral narratives. AI-generated political advertising, often without disclosure, and gaps in platform transparency further complicate public scrutiny.
“Elections are not only about casting and counting votes, but also about enabling voters to make informed choices. Independent journalism, transparent political financing and scrutiny of misleading content, including deceptive uses of AI, are essential to public trust,” said Rasťo Kužel, Executive Director of MEMO 98.
The independent, non-partisan IREA was launched after the US government decided not to invite the OSCE to observe the elections. Guided by the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, it is conducted remotely through documentary research, expert analysis and stakeholder interviews.
IREA does not directly observe voting or counting, is institutionally independent of the OSCE and does not substitute for an OSCE observation mission. Its findings reflect the scope and limitations of the available evidence.
The assessment will continue after election day, examining ballot processing and counting, certification, electoral disputes and the effectiveness of institutional safeguards. A final report will bring together findings from the pre-election and post-election periods and present recommendations.
Read the full Pre-Election Report:
Download the press release in pdf:
For media enquiries:
Rasťo Kužel — MEMO 98 — kuzel@memo98.sk
Armin Rabitsch — Election-Watch.EU — armin.rabitsch@election-watch.eu