In January, the Franklin County Board of Elections in Ohio received a call from a man identifying himself as a Department of Homeland Security agent seeking immediate access to voter records, according to emails reviewed by Reuters.

In the weeks that followed, similar requests multiplied. The agent asked for voter registration forms and voting histories for dozens of voters, records that include driver’s licence numbers and other sensitive personal data, and sought information on local voter registration groups. Officials were not given a clear explanation for the requests.

The approach, according to election officials and correspondence reviewed by Reuters, has raised concerns among state and local administrators about federal involvement in election processes.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said states must now prepare for possible federal interference in elections “either directly or indirectly,” including through federal agents at polling places or seizure of election equipment.

“It would be irresponsible for me or anyone administering the elections not to game out scenarios, not to think about the possibilities of what federal interference would look like,” Simon said.

Election officials in other states also described pressure and uncertainty linked to federal inquiries. Amy Burgans, clerk and treasurer of Douglas County, Nevada, said the prospect of federal enforcement created “an intimidation factor,” citing concerns about personal legal exposure.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reuters said it identified at least 20 current and former Trump officials involved in efforts supporting broader federal scrutiny of elections or voter fraud claims.

Some actions cited in the investigation include federal raids on election offices and repeated requests for voter data, including in Democratic-leaning jurisdictions.

Election law experts told Reuters that while the actions do not amount to a formal federal takeover of elections, they could test constitutional limits by applying pressure across multiple states and counties.

“If the election turns on a few jurisdictions, states or counties where there are disputed races, then we’d be more likely to see attempts at subversion,” said Richard Hasen, an election law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.