Lawsuits Aim to Bar Armed Federal Officers From Polling Places

A new lawsuit, first reported by NPR, argues that repeated suggestions from the Trump administration that federal officers could be stationed at polling sites amount to illegal voter intimidation, according to the report.

Federal law prohibits armed federal officers, including members of the military, from being present at polling places, NPR reported. The news organization said lawsuits are being pursued to ensure that prohibition is upheld ahead of upcoming elections.

According to NPR, the litigation comes in response to statements from the Trump administration raising the possibility that federal law enforcement personnel could be deployed to polling locations. Advocates behind the legal challenge contend that such statements, even if not followed by actual deployment, could discourage eligible voters from casting ballots, the report said.

NPR did not specify in the excerpt reviewed which court the lawsuit was filed in, who the plaintiffs are, or which specific statements from administration officials prompted the action. Further details of the case, including the administration's response, were not immediately available.

Federal statutes have long restricted the presence of armed personnel at polling places as a safeguard against voter intimidation, a principle the new lawsuit seeks to enforce, according to NPR's reporting.