# States United Democracy Center Founded in 2021 in the immediate aftermath of the [[January 6 Capitol Attack]] to **provide direct support to state officials and law enforcement leaders** defending the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. Distinguishes itself from peer organizations by working directly with **secretaries of state, attorneys general, governors, and election officials** rather than primarily through litigation or grassroots organizing. ## The Niche Most resistance legal infrastructure operates on the federal level and engages state officials only as litigation parties or amici. States United's model is the **inverse**: it embeds within the network of state-level democracy-defending officials and provides them with the communications, legal analysis, research, and coordination support they need to operate effectively under federal pressure. This was the structural gap visible in 2020–2021: Republican secretaries of state and election officials who refused to overturn the election ([[Brad Raffensperger]], [[Stephen Richer]], others) operated largely without organized peer-network support. States United was built to be that network. ## 2025 Track Record In States United's own framing, "the story of 2025 is how the states came together to fight back and protect our democracy." Its 2025 work included: - **Regional law-enforcement convenings** with 21st Century Policing Solutions, bringing **50+ law enforcement leaders** together on best practices for resilient response to politically charged enforcement environments - **Direct legal and communications support** to state officials facing federal pressure on election administration, voter-roll maintenance, and ballot certification - **Research and analysis publications** documenting Trump administration's executive actions affecting election administration ## 2026 Focus States United has identified the 2026 cycle's critical fronts: - **Major Supreme Court decisions** expected on independent agencies, election administration, and executive power - **Continued federal overreach** requiring state-level legal response - **Critical midterm elections** with heightened federal-state friction over voter eligibility, ballot administration, and certification In **March 2026**, the organization issued a public statement on the Trump administration's **March 2026 Elections Executive Order** — the second iteration of Trump's federal-elections power-claim. The earlier (March 2025) version had been partially blocked; the 2026 order represents a renewed attempt to claim executive authority over historically state-administered election functions. ## The Strategic Significance States United's work depends on a model that's structurally fragile: **federalism as a check on federal authoritarianism**. The model works as long as a critical mass of state officials remains willing to defend their constitutional functions under pressure. The organization's value proposition is helping those officials succeed by providing the institutional infrastructure they need. The model's limitation: it cannot prevent federal action against state officials directly ([[Trump 2.0]] DOJ investigations of state-level Democratic AGs and elections officials remain possible). But it raises the political and reputational cost of those federal actions and provides organized response capacity if they occur. ## See Also - [[Resistance Hub]] - [[Pro-Democracy Movement]] - [[Brennan Center for Justice]] — research and policy partner on election administration - [[Democracy Forward]] — federal-court litigation complement - [[January 6 Capitol Attack]] — the founding catalyst