USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 28 May 2022Sheriff Dar Leaf Circulates Claims Foreign Nationals Hacked Voting Machines In Barry County
2 Local Western2 Western Mainstream1 Western AlternativePhoto: Nbierma, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped for layout
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Nearly 250 million Americans expected to vote in the November 3, 2026 midterms. The midterms are presented as a political test for Donald Trump’s return.
5 outlets told this the same way.
Training Amid Denial
A dozen people gathered in Barry County, Mich., for a three-hour session to be trained as poll workers for the U.S. midterm elections, where Sarah VanDenburg thanked them for "helping preserve our democracy." Sheriff Dar Leaf told CBC News during an interview at sheriff headquarters in Hastings, Mich., "I have a duty to go out and investigate, and I'm not gonna back down," as he circulated claims that foreign nationals hacked voting machines in the county in 2020. VanDenburg said she tries to maintain a good working relationship with the sheriff, but his beliefs "can make things difficult."
Leaf has tried to seize voting machines in Barry County in 2021 and 2022, and a judge and prosecutor determined his claims had no merit. The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, which Leaf is a prominent figure in, believes sheriffs have ultimate authority in their county and has encouraged its members to investigate unfounded voter-fraud theories.
Ballot Seizure Fears
The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections contributed to about 140 training sessions this year, compared with 67 in 2024, as local authorities prepared for possible intrusions by the Trump administration. The investigation described teams that anticipate interventions likely to hinder voting, vote counting, or the recognition of results, with Washington now seen as a possible source of disruption. The article said several federal officials ruled out the idea of sending agents or soldiers to polling places, while the White House rejected the concerns and presented Donald Trump’s initiatives as defending the sincerity of the ballot.
In Barry County, Leaf said he would consider seizing ballots only if he had a "good reason to seize them," and he added, "We'd probably seize and then go get a court order." The same CBC account said the FBI seized ballots in Fulton County, Ga., from the 2020 election, and the Justice Department said it was investigating "irregularities that occurred during the 2020 presidential election in the County," even though Georgia’s votes in the 2020 presidential race were already counted three times.
What Is at Stake
The CBC account said the U.S. Department of Justice monitored local compliance with federal election laws for decades, but under Trump election deniers now occupy senior positions in the department.
The CBC report said the department is battling 30 states for access to sensitive voter information as part of an effort to find evidence of non-citizen voting.
The CBC account also said the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been tasked with investigating voter fraud, even though most studies suggest it's a rare phenomenon.
The TF1 Info explainer said nearly 250 million voters will be called on November 3 to decide the next majority in Congress, with all 435 House seats up for grabs and 35 Senate seats decided.
TF1 Info said the term of newly elected members of Congress will begin on January 3, and it also said that across the country 36 governorships are at stake and 145 referendums will be organized in various states.
