Resist Now Resist Now Built for Action Take Action

FBI Raided an Ohio Voting Rights Group. Midterms Are 5 Months Away.

Resist Now 3 min read
Check Your Registration

FBI Searched a Cleveland Voting Rights Office With No Explanation

FBI agents searched the Cleveland offices of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative on June 12, 2026, and separately fanned out across Ohio to interview people connected to the group. In at least some cases, agents seized personal electronic devices, including phones and laptops, from those individuals.

No charges have been announced. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio did not respond to press requests for comment. Board member Prentiss Haney confirmed the actions to multiple news outlets.

Rep. Shontel Brown, the Democratic congresswoman representing Cleveland, said her office contacted the FBI demanding answers and received none.

“My office has contacted the FBI demanding information, and I am deeply concerned that this is an effort to use federal law enforcement to intimidate and halt voter registration and organizing efforts.”

Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), written statement, June 12, 2026

Why This Raid Matters Five Months Before Midterms

The Ohio Organizing Collaborative was founded in 2007. It brings together community organizing groups, student associations, faith organizations, labor unions, and policy institutes across Ohio, with a focus on voter registration and civic power-building. The Brennan Center for Justice, a law and policy institute at NYU, honored the organization with its Brennan Legacy Award.

Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center, said the raid “fits a pattern of federal inquiries targeting voting infrastructure ahead of the midterm elections.” The 2026 midterm elections are scheduled for November, roughly five months away.

“This appears to be an outrageous fishing expedition, an attempt to intimidate people working for democracy in our communities and country. It is an egregious abuse of law enforcement for political ends.”

Michael Waldman, President & CEO, Brennan Center for Justice, June 12, 2026

President Trump has repeatedly made false and unsubstantiated claims of fraud in elections he lost or disputed, including the 2020 presidential election and the recent California primary. Both Waldman and Rep. Brown described the FBI’s actions as using federal law enforcement for political ends, not criminal investigation.

The seizure of personal devices from people who merely worked with the collaborative, not just staff, signals the investigation may be wide in scope. That scope, combined with the timing, is what voting rights advocates say makes this different from a routine inquiry.

What You Can Do Now

  1. Donate directly to the Ohio Organizing Collaborative at ohioorganizingcollaborative.org to help cover legal costs from the raid and sustain voter registration operations through the November 2026 midterms. The organization’s ability to register voters may be disrupted while it responds to the federal action.

  2. Call your U.S. Senators and House representative at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to demand a written public explanation from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. Ask them specifically to request disclosure of the legal basis for the search and the return of seized devices from private individuals.

  3. Contact the Brennan Center for Justice at (212) 998-6730 to ask how to support the Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s legal defense. The Brennan Center has confirmed it is the organization’s ally and client, which means it may be coordinating legal support.

  4. File a public comment with the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs by email at [email protected] demanding public disclosure of the reason for the search. Federal agencies track constituent contact volume; documented public pressure on unexplained law enforcement actions has influenced disclosure timelines before.

Sources