“Nauseously Optimistic”: The 2026 Vote Through A Legal Lens

How are experts feeling about the coming election? Veteran election attorney Jerry Goldfeder, for one, quotes Sen. Raphael Warnock: he’s feeling “nauseously optimistic." Jerry joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush for a master class on election law, voter confidence, and how communities can help protect the democratic process.

He also stresses that the election cycle won't end on November 3rd, and neither will the need for vigilance. Jerry’s message: vote early, stay informed, and support the people who make elections work – or become one yourself!

About our guest:

Jerry H. Goldfeder is an election and campaign finance attorney recognized nationally for more than 40 years spent working at the intersection of law, politics, and American democracy. Jerry’s the Director of Fordham University School of Law’s Voting Rights and Democracy Project, and Chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Election Law.

He is the author of Goldfeder’s Modern Election Law, now in its 7th edition, and has represented candidates and elected officials at every level of government, from local office to the U.S. presidency. Jerry previously served as Special Counsel for Public Integrity to the New York State Attorney General.

The State of Belief  host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance.