Opinion | What You Need to Know in Case of an Election Crisis

In 2020, when Donald Trump questioned the results of the election, the courts decisively rejected his efforts, over and over again.In 2024, the judicial branch may be unable to save our democracy.The rogues are no longer amateurs.

They have spent the last four years going pro, meticulously devising a strategy across multiple fronts — state legislatures, Congress, executive branches and elected judges — to overturn any close election.The new challenges will take place in forums that have increasingly purged officials who put country over party.They may take place against the backdrop of razor-thin election margins in key swing states, meaning that any successful challenge could potentially change the election.We have just a few short weeks to understand these challenges so that we can be vigilant against them.First, in the courts, dozens of suits have already been filed.

Litigation in Pennsylvania has begun over whether undated mail-in ballots are permissible and whether provisional ballots can be allowed.Stephen Miller, the former Trump adviser, has brought suit in Arizona claiming that judges should be able to throw out election results.Many states have recently changed how they conduct voting.

Even a minor modification could tee up legal challenges, and some affirmatively invite chaos.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....