Election Officials Tighten Rules as Prediction Markets Loom Over Midterms

Election administrators in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, have revised the oath required of all election workers to expressly prohibit any direct or indirect interest in prediction markets. The change, announced by Jim Allen, the county’s elections director who oversees 383 precincts, applies to roughly 2,500 staff and temporary workers who will be involved in processing ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. The amendment is intended to prevent any potential conflict of interest that could arise from betting on election outcomes.

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With less than 100 days remaining before the November midterms, officials across the country are voicing concerns that the rapid expansion of prediction markets could erode confidence in electoral results. They argue that markets create a financial incentive to manipulate outcomes and may amplify anger among participants who lose wagers. President Donald Trump and members of his administration are reported to be working overtime to undermine trust in American democracy, a claim echoed by local election officials.

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The June primary in Wisconsin highlighted how market odds can diverge sharply from actual results. Platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket listed progressive candidate Francesca Hong as the likely winner, yet the final tally told a different story—mirroring the inaccuracy of traditional polls in that race. Dean Logan, the county clerk for Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous jurisdiction, noted that prediction markets contributed significantly to volatility following the June election, and officials have already observed instances of aggression directed at poll workers linked to market activity.

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Election officials stress that the oath amendment is a preventative measure aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the voting process. By barring workers from any market involvement, they hope to reduce the temptation for result-influencing behavior and to limit the potential for market-driven hostility toward election staff. The steps taken in Delaware County may serve as a model for other jurisdictions as they prepare for the high-stakes environment of the upcoming midterms.

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