Monday, November 2: Tense final push to Election Day, the race for Wisconsin state treasurer, election officials brace for federal interference in Wisconsin and around the country
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Election officials at every level are all about the rule of law. They know the law in their jurisdictions. They know the processes in their jurisdictions, and they have to follow them.”
– Kathy Boockvar, former Pennsylvania Secretary of State, a Democrat who now consults on election security and administration issues
King County, Washington, election workers dump out a bin full of ballots from a local drop box to sort ahead of the midterm election on Oct. 29, 2026, in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)
When the polls close Tuesday night, the 2026 U.S. election will go down as one of history’s most expensive and extraordinarily ugly midterms — galvanizing record-breaking early voter turnout among a deeply divided electorate. Ashley Murray and Jonathan Shorman report on the state of a tense election nationwide.
The 2026 race for Wisconsin state treasurer is a contest between two visions for the office — a Republican incumbent who has centered his case on doing the job without “growing government,” and a Democratic challenger who believes the position could take a higher profile. Erik Gunn has the details.
As concerns rise about the potential for federal influence over the results of the midterm elections, many voting experts and advocates remain confident that the nation’s highly localized systems of administering and counting votes will persevere, Kevin Hardy reports. In Wisconsin, a group of organizations involved in election protection has asked Attorney General Josh Kaul to provide additional guidance for election officials on what to do if federal agents try to seize ballots.
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More from Washington:
ICYMI
Milwaukee celebrates Brewers World Series victory | Henry Redman
Commentary: Brewers’ World Series win reminds us what Wisconsin can be | Ruth Conniff
In a blizzard of lawsuits, Trump’s DOJ battles across the US over midterm elections | Jonathan Shorman
From left, Republican John Leiber and Democrat Yee Leng Xiong are running for state treasurer in Tuesday’s election. Leiber is the incumbent. (Leiber, campaign photo; Xiong, Marathon County Board photo)
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