Petition: Media Must Expose Election Deniers’ 2026 Plans

Across the country, candidates who continue to deny the results of the 2020 election are now running for positions that would give them direct control over how elections are administered in 2026. These roles—secretaries of state, election boards, and other oversight positions—carry enormous power over voter access, ballot counting, and certification of results. This is not just another campaign cycle; it is a test of whether election systems will remain impartial.

Yet too much media coverage treats these candidates as typical political contenders, focusing on campaign dynamics, polling, or partisan competition rather than clearly addressing the implications of their views. When individuals who reject past election results seek authority over future ones, the stakes are fundamentally different. Failing to highlight that distinction leaves voters without a clear understanding of the risks to election integrity.

We call on major news organizations to cover these races with clarity and urgency—examining candidates’ records on election denial, explaining the powers of the offices they seek, and outlining what it could mean for future elections if they prevail. The public deserves reporting that makes the stakes of these candidacies unmistakably clear.