Lawmakers Address AI Threats to 2026 Midterm Election Integrity

On July 9, 2026, bipartisan House lawmakers Josh Gottheimer and Mike Lawler urged federal agencies to address the risks posed by artificial intelligence to the upcoming midterm elections. They highlighted concerns over AI chatbots providing inaccurate and biased information to voters, referencing a 2024 study that found over one-third of AI responses were harmful or incomplete. The lawmakers called for coordination among the Department of Homeland Security, Justice, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to mitigate AI-driven threats. With the elections approaching, they emphasized the need for monitoring and mitigation capabilities to protect election integrity. The letter was sent following reports of voters increasingly relying on AI tools for election information. The lawmakers noted that AI models often pull data from unreliable sources, which could distort voter information.

Key Points: • Bipartisan lawmakers are pressing federal agencies to address AI risks to elections. • A 2024 study found over one-third of AI chatbot responses were harmful or incomplete. • Coordination among key agencies is urged to ensure election integrity amid AI threats.