Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Tuesday that she plans to issue an executive order on Wednesday to help election workers respond if federal agents show up at polling sites in the state.
The governor said during a conference hosted by the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank, that the order would include details on how "Virginia state employees or people working in support of Virginia's state-run elections can react to, in this particular case, federal agents who might be appearing at a location where the worry is that they're principally there to intimidate or scare people."
Some election officials and Democratic politicians have expressed concern that President Donald Trump — who has repeatedly made false claims of widespread voter fraud — could attempt interference in state-run elections.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and voting rights advocates have echoed Spanberger's concerns about potential voter intimidation at polling places. "Throughout history, we have seen efforts at intimidating voters," Spanberger said at the conference. "My worry is that we will continue to see those heightened." She added: "The reality is that the challenges and the fear that people might have when going to the polling place is real."
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber raised similar concerns in February, asking federal authorities during a call whether election officials would be alerted about immigration enforcement operations near polling sites. Voting rights groups have long argued that any visible law enforcement presence at voting locations can suppress turnout among minority and immigrant communities.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans and some federal officials have pushed back against suggestions that federal agents would interfere with elections. "Any suggestion that ICE is going to be present at polling places is simply disinformation," said Heather Honey, deputy assistant secretary for election integrity, according to three call participants who spoke with NBC News. "There will be no ICE presence at polling locations."
The Trump administration has maintained that its enforcement priorities focus on criminal aliens and those who pose public safety threats, not ordinary voters. Federal monitors from the Department of Justice routinely observe state-run elections as part of their standard oversight role — a practice that predates the current administration.
What the Numbers Show
Federal law prohibits law enforcement officials from showing up at polling sites or the federal government from interfering with election operations. The DOJ's Election Day Monitoring Program has operated for decades, with observers present at polling places across multiple states during major elections to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws.
Virginia has approximately 8.6 million residents and uses a state-run election system administered by local electoral boards. In the 2024 presidential election, Virginia voters cast ballots at more than 2,700 polling locations statewide.
Former Trump White House aide Steve Bannon said in March that deploying ICE agents to airports is "perfect training for the fall of 2026," a reference to this year's midterm elections.
The Bottom Line
Spanberger's executive order represents one of the first concrete state-level responses to concerns about potential federal intervention in elections. While federal officials have denied any plans to station law enforcement at polling places, the governor's action signals that Virginia is preparing for multiple scenarios heading into the 2026 midterms.
The order would not prevent legal federal monitoring activities but could establish protocols for election workers if armed agents appear unexpectedly at voting sites. A Spanberger spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment for additional details on what specific provisions the executive order will contain.