The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced Tuesday that it is deploying staff — including “poll watchers” and “election observers” — to at least 17 states in what it calls a nationwide “election integrity” operation ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The move comes as Republicans intensify attacks on voting rights and election administration following years of false claims about widespread voter fraud and mounting efforts to challenge voting access, fair maps and election results in key states.

And the new operation appears to go beyond traditional poll watching.