LEADER JEFFRIES, RANKING MEMBER MORELLE HOST ROCHESTER VOTER PROTECTION SHADOW HEARING

National and local experts discuss election administration, voting rights and coordinated preparation ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Yesterday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressman Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, hosted a shadow hearing at Rochester City Hall focused on protecting the right to vote, supporting election officials and preparing for threats to the 2026 elections.

The shadow hearing featured Bob Bauer, former White House Counsel and Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at NYU School of Law; Omar Noureldin, Senior Vice President of Policy and Litigation at Common Cause; and Natalie Sheppard, Deputy Commissioner of the Monroe County Board of Elections.

Jeffries and Morelle questioned the panel about how to build voter confidence, protect eligible voters from improper voter-roll removals, support election workers and administrators, preserve bipartisan election administration and strengthen the legal and operational safeguards that protect free and fair elections.

The Rochester hearing is the latest public step in a coordinated House Democratic voter-protection effort led by Morelle at the direction of Leader Jeffries. The effort includes national threat assessment, scenario-planning exercises, congressional oversight, stakeholder coordination and public education ahead of the midterms.

"Our elections belong to the people, not to any president, political party, or powerful interest," said Congressman Joe Morelle. "House Democrats are prepared to use every tool available to defend voters, support election officials, and make sure the results reflect the will of the American people."

"Donald Trump and Republicans have broken every promise that they made to the American people and have concluded that their best course of action as it relates to the upcoming midterm election is to suppress the vote, intimidate voters and potentially rig the outcome. It is our collective responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, to ensure that we have the largest voter protection effort in the history of the country, that we give everybody an opportunity to have their voice heard," said Leader Jeffries. "I'm thankful to Congressman Morelle for his extraordinary efforts all across the country in ensuring that the American people and civil society are prepared for a free and fair election this November."

House Democratic voter-protection work

• A dozen election security events, including shadow hearings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Haven, Las Vegas and Rochester;
• Engagement with civil society allies;
• Tabletop exercises and strategy sessions; and
• Public education campaigns.

Full shadow hearing can be watched here.