Hold The Line
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We Have Power Together

Our freedom to vote and elections are under attack. Each of us must play a role in pushing back.

Hold the Line is a practical guide for everyday people to ensure our elections are free, fair, respected, and safe.

Whether you are a political newcomer, an experienced community advocate, or anywhere in between, the goal of Hold the Line is to help you and members of your community take action to ensure a successful election in 2026, and beyond.

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Hold the Line Guide Illustration

The Problem

There comes a time when people from all walks of life must join together and stand united to protect their country, and then move it forward.

Now is such a time.

The stakes of this moment are clear. In the 2026 midterm elections, our freedom to vote, have our votes be counted, and have the results respected are all under threat. There are four red lines violations we are watching for:

  • • Red Line 1: Voter disenfranchisement
  • • Red Line 2: Election betrayal and disinformation
  • • Red Line 3: Refusal to accept the valid results of the elections
  • • Red Line 4: Incitement or enactment of political violence or political persecution related to the election

Hold the Line

Organize

Organize

Launch small teams of people trained on the Hold the Line curriculum who secure local commitments to uphold democracy.

Alert

Alert

Counter false narratives and communicate effectively about the real threats to our elections.

Act

Act

Have a plan to respond, and mobilize nonviolently if and when necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who started Hold the Line?
Hold the Line was started by Hardy Merriman, Ankur Asthana, Marium Navid, and Kifah Shah. Work on the guide was conducted in independent capacities.
Who is Hold the Line for?
Hold the Line is a guide for you—and the millions of others across the country like you. You have more power than you think. Whether you are a political newcomer, an experienced community advocate, or anywhere in between, the goal of Hold the Line is to help you and members of your community take action to ensure a successful election in 2026, and beyond.
Who has power to influence how U.S. elections are run?

The U.S. Constitution speaks directly to this question, and it makes clear that the President of the United States and the executive branch as a whole have no power to administer, regulate, or intervene in elections.

Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1 of the Constitution is referred to as the “elections clause,” and here is what it says:

“The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations...”

What this means is that:

  1. States run elections.
  2. Congress can pass laws about federal elections.
  3. The President and the executive branch don't have power to administer, regulate, or intervene in elections. The only thing they can do is enforce federal law.
How safe and secure are our elections?
Our elections are more secure than they have ever been. Nearly every voter in the country votes with a paper ballot or receives a record of their vote. Bipartisan observers watch the count. Ballots move through a documented chain of custody. A growing number of states run post-election audits that check the machines against the paper. In short: we have never counted votes more carefully than we count them now.