Washington state's activation of roughly 100 unarmed National Guard members in plainclothes to observe ballot drop boxes in seven counties stands as the clearest recent development shaping this market. Governor Bob Ferguson ordered the “Election Neighborhood Watch” on October 21, citing prior incidents and a charged environment, with operations running through November 10. Federal military leaders, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, have issued written assurances of no plans to deploy active-duty troops or federalized Guard units to polling places, consistent with longstanding statutory limits. A handful of other states reported narrower Guard support focused on cybersecurity or threat response rather than direct site presence. These state-level measures, occurring against a backdrop of election security concerns and legal boundaries on federal involvement, form the core context for assessing whether broader deployment occurred by key deadlines.