Between January and early October, at least 16 states enacted 29 laws restricting access to the ballot. That’s nearly on par with 2021, the record year for the highest number of new restrictive voting laws in the 14 years the Brennan Center has tracked such legislation. During the same period, at least 25 states enacted 30 laws expanding access to the ballot — a noticeably smaller number than in other recent years. The new edition of the State Voting Laws Roundup, coproduced by the Brennan Center and UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, highlights these and other trends in voting legislation in 2025.

Election officials work tirelessly to make every election secure, accurate, and accessible for all eligible voters, a process that begins long before the first ballot is cast. In a Q&A with the Brennan Center, a county elections director in Ohio pulls back the curtain on these efforts, sharing what it takes to prepare for Election Day and what she most wants voters and her fellow election officials to know.

The Department of Homeland Security plans to release reports on the integrity of state election systems in the coming months — but the reliability of these reports is in doubt. Over the summer, the department appointed an activist known for spreading false claims about the 2020 election as its new deputy assistant secretary for elections integrity, raising concerns about DHS’s credibility and signaling a troubling shift in its approach to election security. A Brennan Center analysis highlights the dubious election denial tactics to look out for in future DHS reports, including cherry-picked data and unreliable sources.

The U.S. Constitution and state constitutions give state and local officials the authority to run elections. The Trump administration has sought to illegally take over aspects of election administration, and although courts have blocked some of these efforts, new federal attempts to undermine or interfere with elections may emerge ahead of the 2026 midterms. A State Court Report piece explains what the Constitution says about elections and the roles of federal, state, and local governments.

For several months, federal judges across the ideological spectrum have criticized Justice Department lawyers for failing to meet basic professional and ethical standards. This reflects the Trump administration’s systematic dismantling of the department’s internal accountability systems. DOJ attorneys are now making questionable legal arguments, evading court orders, and overstepping their authority. A Brennan Center expert brief details the DOJ’s accountability system and the consequences of breaking it.

Last week, Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023. Binance is a major player in the cryptocurrency industry, which has contributed millions to Trump’s presidential campaign and inauguration and is reportedly a key supporter of the Trump family’s crypto venture. This is the latest example of the president granting pardons or other favorable legal treatment to his benefactors. Continued special treatment like this threatens to further erode the public’s trust in government.