Op-ed written by Rep. Mullin and published by the San Mateo Daily Journal on February 9th, 2026

While the eyes of the nation are on the horror unfolding in Minneapolis at the hands of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, our democracy itself and voting rights in particular, are also under increasing and insidious attacks. I do not say this lightly. The threat is coming directly from the Oval Office, but President Trump wants you to look away.

The president wants to “nationalize the voting” — which really means he wants Republicans in Washington to control elections administration — as he tries to override states’ and localities’ rights. His politicized Department of Justice recently raided elections facilities in Fulton County, Georgia, seizing ballots from 2020 following his baseless claims of fraud. While federal agents were shooting Americans in Minneapolis, his administration tried to extort Minnesota, and many other states, into handing over sensitive voter data. His supporters are now calling for ICE to surround the polls in November (in blue states) in a blatant voter suppression and intimidation tactic.

Never forget that he sent an angry mob to attack the citadel of our democracy and attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. But when he won in 2024, where were his concerns about elections integrity? Why is it only when he loses, he thinks the elections are tainted? The president is afraid of his lawless administration losing power. He’s afraid Democratic victories in 2026 would restore some checks and balances, and that he and his administration would be held accountable for their crimes.

The public is increasingly fed up with what we are witnessing. The president’s inhumane immigration policies are rapidly losing public support. Shocking images of federal agents shooting Americans in the streets, and the silencing of journalists, deserve backlash. And all the while the president is more obsessed with petty grievance and exacting revenge on his opponents than making America more affordable.

The U.S. Constitution, while imperfect, is the backbone of our democratic republic. It was drafted intentionally to withstand threats from any one individual or political party. Article 1 explicitly grants states primary authority over the time, place and manner of election administration. The disaggregated, non-partisan nature of our elections system is a security measure, and it supports the sanctity of our democracy. A dispersion of power across the people — and the states — is how we protect against authoritarian rule. The ballot box is our weapon of choice. And there is simply no substitute for winning free and fair elections.

Yet compliant Republicans in Congress are now proposing the most extreme voting restrictions ever seen at the federal level through the Making Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act. The president wants to eliminate voting-by-mail — a method proven to increase voter turnout. California has been a leader on expanding all vote-by-mail elections, beginning with efforts I led with colleagues in the Legislature to allow San Mateo County to become the first in the state to hold an all-mailed ballot election. This pilot proved the efficacy and integrity of the process, opening the door to eventual statewide all-mailed ballot elections. California now represents the gold standard for secure and inclusive elections. And voter fraud is virtually non-existent.

As co-chair of the House Democrats’ Task Force on Strengthening Democracy, I am fighting with my colleagues to defend voters’ rights in Congress. We must fortify our system to protect it for the next 250 years and when Democrats have the majority, we will move the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and the For the People Act, and national redistricting reforms. This legislation would reaffirm states’ and localities’ authority over elections administration, yet also reform and strengthen our democracy so that it can better withstand attacks. And our democracy must also prevail in the courts and in the court of public opinion.

To everyone who is worried or angry: channel that energy into organizing, political action and of course, voting, and ask others to do the same. Reach out to family and friends in other states and encourage them to be heard by their representatives. I can personally attest, that simple act absolutely matters. And when consuming or sharing information especially on social media, please check your sources and help counter misinformation. To elections workers across the nation, including many facing threats: we are grateful for your service and we stand with you.

Whatever you do, please do not look away. Our 250-year experiment in democracy is facing peril. Democracy prevails when we, the people, make our voices heard. And I believe the people will speak loudly in 2026 and 2028, that the president’s cruel version of America is not the one we want for ourselves, or for our children to inherit.

Kevin Mullin represents California’s 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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