FBI invites NH secretary of state on call to discuss 'preparations' for midterm elections

The FBI invited New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and election officials from states across the country to a virtual meeting later this month to “discuss our preparations” for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, according to an email obtained by the Bulletin.

The email was signed by FBI Election Executive Kellie M. Hardiman and invites the election officials to a Feb. 25 Microsoft Teams meeting. In addition to the FBI, representatives from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Election Assistance Council will be on the call, according to the letter. The email also invites members of the EAC’s Local Leadership Council — a panel of local election officials from across the United States — for another March 5 meeting.

Scanlan told the Bulletin he “tentatively” accepted the invite. He said he may be called to testify in an ongoing federal trial over New Hampshire’s new proof-of-citizenship voting law, which would create a scheduling conflict. If that happened, he said he would send his deputy, Brendan O’Donnell, as a proxy.

Scanlan said meeting with federal officials is “not unusual,” though he doesn’t remember a meeting of this exact type in the past. Scanlan has served as secretary of state since 2022, and before that served as deputy secretary for 20 years.


https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/02/11/fbi-invites-nh-secretary-of-state-on-call-to-discuss-preparations-for-midterm-elections/