Hi Reader,

The election is 14 days away. Polling indicates a tight race that could be decided by razor-thin margins in a few key states. It’s possible that a clear victor will emerge on Election Day, but in the event that that doesn’t happen, we could be in for a prolonged period of vote counting and contestations, legal battles and fierce debates about election integrity.

ProPublica has been investigating election integrity for a long time. Our reporters are meticulously tracking on-the-ground organizing efforts in battleground states, and nationwide, aimed at restricting voting or influencing the election process. Just in the past few weeks, we’ve published several deep dives into election boards and their rules, how voter rolls are being managed, the controversies that spiral around ballot drop boxes and more. Our attention is local and granular, knowing that the minutiae will matter significantly in the weeks and months ahead. As the election nears, I want to share with you some of what we’ve done lately in three key battleground states: Wisconsin, Texas and Georgia.

Wisconsin

Battle Over Ballot Drop Boxes Rages On in Wisconsin as Officials Put Them at Center of Election Integrity Debate
After court rulings that first outlawed the boxes and then made them legal again, conspiracy theories continue to stir opposition that will result in heightened surveillance at sites this election. The hijacking of one box reflects the controversy.
Right-Wing Activists Pushed False Claims About Election Fraud. Now They’re Recruiting Poll Workers in Swing States.
Experts say these poll workers could sow distrust in democracy and bolster court cases challenging the election. ProPublica and Wisconsin Watch reviewed dozens of hours of trainings and presentations in which activists discussed their plans.

Texas

Greg Abbott Boasted That Texas Removed 6,500 Noncitizens From Its Voter Rolls. That Number Was Likely Inflated.
At least nine U.S. citizens across three Texas counties were incorrectly labeled as noncitizens or removed from voter rolls because they did not respond to letters asking about their citizenship.
A Pair of Billionaire Preachers Built the Most Powerful Political Machine in Texas. That’s Just the Start.
Oil tycoons Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks have pushed the Texas statehouse to the far right by funding relentless primary campaigns against other Republicans. In their wake, the statehouse is advancing policies that threaten the separation between church and state. And Dunn is now linked to think tanks that are jockeying to influence a second Trump administration.
In Texas’ Third-Largest County, the Far Right’s Vision for Local Governing Has Come to Life
From cutting social services to changing election rules, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare has pushed his agenda with an uncompromising approach. His term offers a rare look at what happens when hard-liners exert influence in a battleground county.

Georgia

Georgia Judge Rules Election Officials Must Count All Votes and Certify Results
The judge ruled that “Georgia voters would be silenced” if county election board members were “free to play investigator, prosecutor, jury, and judge” and refuse to certify election results.
Election Skeptics Are Running Some County Election Boards in Georgia. A New Rule Could Allow Them to Exclude Decisive Votes.
An examination of a new election rule in Georgia suggests that local officials in just a handful of rural counties could exclude enough votes to affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential race.
Officials Voted Down a Controversial Georgia Election Rule, Saying It Violated the Law. Then a Similar Version Passed.
The rule, which was pushed by nationally prominent election deniers, only changed in minor ways between being voted down in May and approved in August. Those adjustments made it even less compliant with existing law, experts say.

For a national lens, we also recently held a public Q&A with three reporters to discuss the pressing risks facing our democracy and went behind the scenes on some of our biggest investigations of the year. You can watch the recording of “Threats to Democracy and the 2024 Election” with reporters A.C. Thompson, Andy Kroll and Joshua Kaplan to learn more about groups that are trying to sway the election and change the country: Project 2025, Ziklag, Accelerationists and neo-Nazis on Telegram and militia movements like American Patriots Three Percent.

We have a team of journalists dedicated to investigating both major political parties, focusing on who votes, who counts the votes and who is providing legal, intellectual and financial backing for efforts aimed at restricting voting or influencing the election process. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative newsroom, we are committed to ensuring transparency across all branches of government. And we hold leaders accountable. The power of journalism to activate change in this world is made greater by the number of folks standing beside us.

Thanks so much for reading,

Jill Shepherd

Proud ProPublican

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