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How could the federal government intervene in the midterms?

People walk from the Office of the Supervisor of Elections during early voting in the 2026 midterm elections, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Doral, Fla. (Lynne Sladky/AP)
Lynne Sladky/AP
People walk from the Office of the Supervisor of Elections during early voting in the 2026 midterm elections, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Doral, Fla. (Lynne Sladky/AP)

There are some scenarios in which the federal government could intervene in the midterms, even though it’s the states that hold the power to oversee and certify elections.

Last week, the Department of Justice sued to prevent Alaska from certifying results in a Senate race there if the Republican loses.

Election law experts say that case is on dubious legal footing, but if Congressional elections are contested and not certified by Jan. 3, when the new Congressional term begins, what could happen?

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong talks to Ned Foley, a constitutional law professor and director of the election law program at Ohio State University.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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