Newsletter
October 2025
As political violence increases, more Americans say it may be necessary
This year, more Americans think that political violence may be justifiable. According to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, 30% of respondents believe that “Americans may have to resort to violence in order to get the country back on track,” an 11-point increase since 2024. This troubling data contextualizes the uptick in incidents of political violence and the 9% increase in threats and harassment of local officials this year.
Election officials continue to turn to EOLDN as they weather these attacks. David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, said, “We are seeing as many requests for EOLDN assistance [over the last several weeks] as we have seen in its entire four years of existence,” despite there being fewer major elections this year.
As we approach high-profile elections this November and in 2026, we are preparing for the possibility that the uptick in violence and vitriol will be increasingly directed at state and local election officials.
Election workers are professionals who interact skillfully with passionate voters every day. Their work environment, however, is as hostile as ever. Election officials who want to learn more about in-the-moment de-escalation techniques are encouraged to review this Bridging Divides Initiative guide, tailored for election workers.
And as always, election officials who wish to speak to a lawyer, at no cost, about harassment and intimidation are invited to submit a safe, confidential request for help on the EOLDN website.
WATCH: EOLDN thanks its volunteer attorneys
Next week is the National Celebration of Pro Bono, a week that the legal community dedicates annually to recognizing the attorneys who have donated their time throughout the year. EOLDN is incredibly grateful that attorneys continue to meet the moment by volunteering their services to safeguard election officials and our democracy.
For our volunteer attorneys, we put together a video to express our thanks:
What's happening at CEIR
Bipartisan pushback: States reject DOJ voter info requests
CEIR Executive Director David Becker shared his concerns about the Justice Department’s demands for sensitive voter information in an interview with POLITICO, stating that the data the DOJ seeks includes “the holy trinity of identity theft”: driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth.
Fortunately, red and blue states alike have pushed back against the DOJ’s requests. Especially given the current administration’s history handling personal information, Becker said “state officials, Republicans and Democrats, are right to do all they can to protect that data.”
Recent EOLDN webinars: Virginia and Texas
EOLDN hosts state-by-state webinars to spread the word about our legal service and hear from election officials about their unique experiences and challenges in their individual states. If you’d like EOLDN to present to your office or would like to suggest a future webinar in your state, please contact us at outreach@eoldn.org.
New Penalties in Texas Election Law: What Officials Need to Know
This webinar addressed four new laws passed in the recent legislative session — SB 510, HB 521, HB 1661, and HB 5115 — that carry potential criminal and civil penalties for election officials. Presenting to election officials from across the state, C. Robert (Bob) Heath, a Texas attorney who specializes in election law, explained these laws and how they may be enforced, while EOLDN leadership outlined the instances in which we may be the team to call.
Protecting Virginia’s Election Workers
During a high-stakes gubernatorial race, former Lynchburg Director of Elections and General Registrar Christine Gibbons and Prince William County Director of Elections/General Registrar Eric Olsen addressed the threat environment for election workers throughout Virginia. Gibbons went on to share her experience with EOLDN’s legal service.
What is EOLDN?
EOLDN matches experienced pro bono attorneys with election officials who have been harassed and intimidated on the job or who fear targeting simply for doing their jobs.
Election officials: Request help
Request assistance on our website or contact us via email at help@eoldn.org or phone at 1-877-313-5210 anytime.
Click here to learn about EOLDN’s Terms and Conditions. If you
believe you’re eligible to receive help from EOLDN and are interested in
requesting assistance from a pro bono attorney, we encourage you to get
in touch.
Attorneys: Join our network
Please forward this message to attorney contacts so EOLDN is prepared for 2025 and beyond. We need all types of attorneys, as election officials can experience a wide variety of legal issues stemming from their duties, and many simply need general guidance. Learn about joining the network as a pro bono attorney or as a law firm.
Interested in helping us recruit other attorneys or firms into the network? We can help you present EOLDN to other lawyers. For more information, email outreach@eoldn.org.
Articles and resources of interest
Law Enforcement Quick Reference Guides | Committee for Safe and Secure Elections
Election experts and law enforcement officials are increasingly collaborating to safeguard elections. These pocket guides from the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections detail election laws by state and serve as a reference for both groups.