Democracy Without Intimidation Act

Key Points

• The bill removes an existing legal exception that currently allows armed forces to be stationed at polling places if they are supposedly needed to "repel armed enemies." By striking this language, the bill creates an absolute ban on troops at the polls with no exceptions.
• Federal prosecutors, marshals, and magistrate judges would be required to bring criminal cases against anyone who violates the ban on troops at polling places, along with other civil rights protections. The bill updates old Reconstruction-era statutes to modernize enforcement.
• Ordinary citizens who feel intimidated by troops at polling places would gain a new private right to sue high-ranking federal law enforcement officials for injunctive relief. The lawsuits could only target Senior Executive Service members or political appointees at federal law enforcement agencies.
• Cases brought under this law would be fast-tracked by courts, and appeals would go directly to the Supreme Court, skipping the usual appeals court step. This ensures any disputes over troops at the polls are resolved as quickly as possible, especially during election periods.