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Could Martial Law Cancel an Election? Here’s What the Law Says
Some fear a sitting president might use it to cancel or delay an election. But is that possible?
Could Martial Law Cancel an Election? Here’s What the Law Says
With another high-stakes election season heating up — and plenty of noise swirling online — one phrase keeps cropping up in certain circles: martial law. It’s often tossed around like a magic switch that could be used to freeze democracy in its tracks.
Some fear a sitting president might use it to cancel or delay an election. But is that possible?
It's time to separate legal fact from internet fiction.
What Martial Law Means
At its core, martial law means the military temporarily stepping in to handle what civilian government usually would — typically in moments of extreme crisis, like war or massive unrest. But here’s the kicker: it’s not spelled out in the Constitution, and it’s never been used to halt federal elections. Ever.
In U.S. history, martial law has been rare and highly localized — think Hawaii during World War II or brief military involvement in post-Civil War Southern states.
