GoKawiilOn November 3, when voters across the US go to the polls, almost 200 election deniers will be on the ballot. Many of them have repeatedly undermined the very process they are participating in, and they will be looking to win some of the most powerful elected positions in the country—positions that would help determine how voting goes in future elections.
Following the primaries, there will be 197 election deniers on the ballot for congressional and statewide races in the midterms across 43 states, according to new data shared exclusively with WIRED by States United Action, a nonpartisan nonprofit that supports state officials in protecting elections.
These numbers include a sitting US congressman who voted against certifying the 2020 election results; a former state representative who integrated QAnon conspiracy theories into election denialism; and local election officials who have actively sought to undermine election results by pushing baseless conspiracy theories about noncitizen voting.
But for election experts and officials, one of the biggest concerns ahead of the midterms is the possibility that these election deniers could obtain oversight of the 2028 presidential election process. The data shows there are already 27 election deniers in 20 states who hold a statewide office with election oversight, like secretary of state or attorney general—positions that allow the holder to set voting rules or prosecute those they believe are cheating at the ballots. In November, 33 election deniers will seek to secure similar positions in states across the country.
“All Americans should be concerned if people who are trying to undermine trust in elections and trying to interfere in the election process are taking positions of responsibility over elections,” Wendy Weiser, vice president for democracy at the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice, tells WIRED. “We've seen in recent years an increasing number of election deniers taking some positions of public trust. As the numbers increase, it just increases the risk to our election system. This really is an attempt to corrode the system from within.”
The huge roster of election deniers on the ballot in November has also been emboldened by a groundswell of local groups and individuals who have been working for years to promote baseless claims about mail-in voting, noncitizen voter fraud, and rigged voting machines.
And from the top, President Donald Trump has increasingly pushed election-denial conspiracy theories, according to data gathered by States United Action. The group’s data shows that 60 percent of Trump’s statements referencing elections since the 2024 election include an explicit claim of fraud, rigging, or theft. That percentage has risen to 84 percent in the second quarter of 2026.
"The election-denial movement is more powerful than ever, and it's a direct threat to our freedom to vote,” Joanna Lydgate, CEO of States United Action, tells WIRED. “Election deniers are embedded at every level of government, pushing conspiracy theories from positions of real power.”
WIRED is keeping a close eye on many of these impactful races featuring election deniers. Here are five of the midterm races featuring election deniers that WIRED and States United Action are tracking:
The Michigan Senate Race
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