Who controls the vote¿ US election officials face mounting political pressure.

An election is built on thousands of small decisions made by people most voters will never meet. A signature reviewed, a ballot verified, a rule applied the same way, no matter who's running or who's watching. Now, in multiple states, those everyday decisions are becoming part of a much bigger political fight. And for local officials, it's not about who wants a different outcome, it's who has the authority to change the process. Powerful people never pass up a chance to use their power. So we need to use that power to push through all the misinformation, all of the lies. The Trump administration is challenging voter eligibility in multiple states, seeking to question registrations and set aside ballots. But election officials say there's a line between what Washington wants and what they're allowed to do. So we all took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state we live in. And we take that oath very seriously. In Georgia, the aftermath of 2020 showed just how personal this fight can get, with election workers facing threats and intimidation for doing their jobs. When that kind of doubt takes hold, election officials say it doesn't stop at state lines, arguing it can change how voters see results, even in places where they have no reason to question them. Election administrators don't tell you. To trust us, we show you and we can show you if you ask the right questions or if you observe why you should well place that trust in us. The process can be slow, the scrutiny can be intense and the political noise may not let up. But the people running these elections say their responsibility isn't to silence every critic, it's to make sure every valid vote is counted And that the rules hold, whatever the results. Reggie Cicchini, Global News, Washington.