Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate dismissed concerns about federal authorities seizing ballots or voting machines at a briefing on Wednesday. He said Iowa controls its elections and has established procedures for resolving close results.
His comments came as some election officials nationally prepare for possible Trump administration interference in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, including scenarios involving federal agents at polling places and challenges to election results.
Speaking alongside state and federal security partners at the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston, Pate declined to outline a response to a hypothetical military seizure of election materials in Polk County.
“That scenario is so abstract that I'm not even going to justify it with a good answer,” Pate said. “We run our elections in Iowa. The Constitution says that we run the elections in Iowa. We have a track record of how we run our elections, and if it's a close election and there's a recount, we have a procedure that's very clear on how we will do that."
He argued that speculation about federal intervention could discourage voters from participating.
The briefing highlighted Iowa's election safeguards and coordination among county auditors, state public safety and emergency management officials, cybersecurity specialists, the Iowa National Guard and federal agencies.
Nationally, some election administrators are training poll workers on how to respond if immigration enforcement officers appear, and are reviewing restrictions on federal agents and election monitors at voting locations, according to reporting by The New York Times.
The Times reported that officials are concerned the administration could interfere with voting or challenge the legitimacy of results, while acknowledging such intervention might never materialize. Federal officials have dismissed the possibility of sending agents or soldiers to polling places, and courts have blocked most of President Donald Trump's efforts to insert federal authority into election administration.
The administration has demanded state voter lists and unsuccessfully sought changes to mail-in voting rules. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit in Alaska seeking to block certification of the Senate race in advance if the Republican candidate narrowly loses.
Pate said Justice Department election monitors are expected at a couple of Iowa locations, although he did not have an exact count. He described their role as observing compliance with civil rights protections, including access for voters with disabilities and opportunities to cast provisional ballots.
“They're there strictly to monitor,” Pate said.
Monitors must coordinate with county auditors and his office, present credentials and follow restrictions on their conduct, he added. They cannot direct election operations or interfere with voting, he said.
The Justice Department routinely monitors elections, but plans a significantly larger deployment under President Donald Trump: 1,000 monitors across all 50 states, compared with 64 jurisdictions in 24 states during the 2022 midterms under President Joe Biden.
Pate pointed to paper ballots, voter identification requirements, bipartisan poll workers and public testing of voting equipment as layers of protection. Randomly selected precincts in all 99 counties undergo hand-count audits after elections to check machine totals.
“There is no evidence of any unauthorized intrusion into Iowa's election systems, but we don't become complacent,” Pate said.
State cybersecurity officials said election technology is monitored continuously, with unusual activity flagged for investigation. The Iowa National Guard provides specialists who help monitor and defend election infrastructure.
Officials described those partnerships as an ongoing effort that continues before, during and after Election Day, with agencies sharing information about potential threats.
Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director John Benson said partners plan, train and conduct exercises throughout the year. Representatives will gather at the operations center on Election Day to share information and respond to problems.
The FBI said it will maintain an election command post and coordinate with state and local partners on threats involving foreign influence, cyberattacks and intimidation of candidates or election workers. Officials encouraged people to report suspected threats to law enforcement and call 911 in emergencies.
Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens warned that artificial intelligence can produce convincing false images, audio, video and messages. He urged voters to verify unexpected texts, emails, social media posts and calls about when, where or how to vote before acting on or sharing them.
Pate directed voters to voterready.iowa.gov and county auditors for reliable election information. He encouraged Iowans to confirm their polling location, bring valid photo identification and make a voting plan. Voters who requested absentee ballots should return them promptly and check online to confirm receipt, he said.
Anyone experiencing a problem at a polling place should contact their county auditor first, Pate said, noting his office can provide support.
Asked whether Iowans should anticipate long lines or wait times on Election Day, Pate advised voters to be patient, plan ahead and block out enough time to give oneself “a little comfort zone.”
“So a little patience, maybe, because if we have a huge turnout, you know there might be some delay, but we're prepared to handle that,” he said.
Pate also emphasized voters in line when polls close at 8 p.m. will still be allowed to cast ballots.
