Half of likely voters say they are worried Republicans may try to overturn the results of this fall's midterm election. The New York Times/Siena University poll was released Friday, 11 days before Election Day on Nov. 3 1.
Fifty percent said they were very or somewhat worried the GOP may use illegal means to overturn the election. Another 49% said they were not too worried or not at all worried 1.
Who is worried, and who is not
The worry splits along party lines. Eighty-six percent of Democrats and 52% of independents said they were concerned about Republican interference. So did 10% of Republicans, who said they worry their own party would overturn the results 1.
Pollsters also asked about the other side. Thirty-one percent said they feared Democrats might overturn the results, a group made up mainly of Republicans 1.
From Channel GOPTrump says he alone decides who gets paidDonald Trump · 132 plays · captioned, with the source named
Trust in the count is still high. Across parties, 74% of likely voters said they trust the midterm results will be accurate. Twenty-three percent do not, up from 17% before the 2024 presidential election 12.
The poll surveyed 3,494 likely voters from Oct. 12 to 19. The margin of error is 1.9 percentage points 1.
What the Justice Department has said
Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters Thursday that the Justice Department (DOJ) has no intention to interfere improperly with elections or certification. Certification is the formal step where states confirm the final vote count. Blanche did not rule out DOJ stepping in to block states from verifying results 1.
to improperly interfere with elections or the state confirmation process or certification process
On Friday morning, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Alaska Senate race if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. The DOJ argues the election is not fair because another candidate with the same name is on the ballot 1.
Mr. Trump has pushed claims of voter fraud for years, mainly when he or his party loses. Courts and election officials have consistently debunked those claims or found no evidence of widespread fraud 1.
Other findings
The poll found Democrats ahead of Republicans by 10 points on the congressional ballot. President Trump's job approval stood at 36%, with 59% disapproving 2.
Eighty-five percent of Republicans said they were more concerned about illegal voting than about eligible voters being blocked from casting ballots. Eighty-six percent of Democrats said the reverse 2.
That matters because confidence in the count is what lets a losing side accept defeat. A voter's worry is not evidence that anyone will act. But when half the country fears it, and the DOJ files a certification lawsuit the same day, the rules for counting and certifying votes are likely to draw close attention after Nov. 3.
The Record
- The New York Times/Siena poll of 3,494 likely voters began; it ran through Oct. 19 1.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ does not intend to interfere improperly with elections or certification, but did not rule out intervening 1.
- The poll was released, showing 50% worried Republicans may use illegal means to overturn the election; DOJ filed its Alaska certification lawsuit that morning 1.
Sources
- The Hill, “About half concerned Republicans could try to overturn midterm results: Survey” (2026-10-23). thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/6169602-americans-fear-gop-over
- Newsmax (via Yahoo News), “Poll: Nearly 3 in 4 Trust Midterm Election Results” (2026-10-23). yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/poll-nearly-3-4-trust-15292
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
