It’s illegal in all 50 states to engage in militia activity. Still, militia members will almost certainly appear at some polling places this election cycle.To prepare voters for potential voter intimidation, Georgetown University Law Center created fact sheets for all 50 states on illegal militias and what to do if voters encounter them.
A private militia engages in law enforcement activities without authorization by state or federal officials. Their members are often armed and wearing uniforms or identifying insignias, and they often believe they have legal authority to protect property or control crowds.
But no private militia has that authority. Every state bans unauthorized militias from taking on the activities of law enforcement.
So, Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, along with several pro bono law firms, created state-specific fact sheets about militias and the state statutes that ban their activities.