The United States military has no plans to send federal troops or federalized National Guard members to polling places during the November midterm elections, according to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In a letter to Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., the nation’s highest-ranking military officer explicitly addressed questions surrounding the limits of armed forces authority and domestic voting administration.
U.S. Military Rules Out Troops at Polls for November Midterms
“The Joint Force has no plans to send Federal military personnel or Federalized members of the National Guard to polling places during the 2026 elections,” Gen. Caine wrote in the correspondence, which was initially obtained by The Associated Press. “Likewise, the Joint Force has no plans to use such personnel to seize ballots, voting machines, or other election-related material.”
Legal Boundaries and Election Security
State and local governments operate polling sites under decentralized state laws, while civilian law-enforcement agencies handle public safety. Federal law establishes strict boundaries around military presence at voting locations, forbidding troops at the polls unless necessary to repel armed enemies of the country. Furthermore, the Posse Comitatus Act generally restricts the use of federal armed forces for domestic law enforcement, though legal analysts note that restriction does not apply to National Guard members operating under state command.
Election administration responsibilities remain with municipal and county officials who manage voter registration systems, polling hours, and ballot counting. While federal agencies provide cybersecurity intelligence and technical support, they do not manage local voting stations. The Justice Department separately announced plans to deploy civilian poll monitors during the midterms, continuing a traditional oversight function.
Background and Precedent
Sen. Slotkin’s inquiry followed heightened national debate regarding the domestic deployment of military personnel. Slotkin pointed to prior discussions surrounding the 2020 presidential election and more recent deployments of the National Guard to major cities over the objections of local leaders, which administration officials defended as lawful responses to unrest and crime.
Gen. Caine stated in his letter that he had “neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order concerning the role of the Joint Force in the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections.” The assurance places a definitive institutional boundary around Pentagon preparations as state and local authorities finalize security plans and poll-worker training ahead of November.
