FBI Invites All 50 States’ Election Chiefs to Unusual Midterms Briefing — No Agenda Given
Federal authorities have reached out to election officials nationwide for an unusual briefing on preparations for the 2026 midterm elections, a move that is raising eyebrows amid ongoing tensions over election oversight. According to emails obtained by reporter Matt Berg, the Federal Bureau of Investigation invited chief election officials from every state to a Feb. 25 conference call with multiple federal agencies.
The invitation, signed by an FBI official who identified herself as an “FBI Election Executive,” was described by one state chief as “the strangest thing in the world,” and others told NBC News they had never seen a similar outreach.
The email notes the FBI, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission will be on the call to discuss “our preparations for the cycle” and offer updates and resources to election offices.
But federal officials have refused to explain what the briefing will cover, simply saying the FBI “has no comment.”
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“It’s never happened in the past… the casualness with which they did it was just beyond crazy,” one official told What A Day, suggesting the invitation has sown confusion and concern.
Election administrators say the call comes at a sensitive moment, with growing partisan pressure on election rules and procedures nationwide. “We need clarity — not mystery — on federal involvement,” said an elections expert.
Legal experts and state officials are now watching to see whether the call will clarify roles or fuel further distrust ahead of November’s midterms.
What happens next could shape how federal and state authorities coordinate on election security.
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