A Sunday Commentary: Force, Fear and the Ballot Box — A Georgia Perspective

Donald Trump may no be calling for a civil war but his repeated threats to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy federal troops in response to protests raise serious concerns about voter suppression—concerns that hit home here in Columbus and across Muscogee County, Georgia.

Trump frames military threats as efforts to “restore order” during unrest. Politically, however, this rhetoric signals a willingness to use federal force in ways that can intimidate communities, chill protest and discourage civic participation, especially during election seasons.

Local voting data illustrates exactly what’s at stake. In the 2020 general election, roughly 62 percent of registered voters in Muscogee County cast ballots, a turnout that reflected intense voter engagement in a historically pivotal presidential contest. More recent data shows that in the 2024 general cycle, about 61,720 Muscogee County residents had voted, representing roughly 41 percent of registered voters midway through the election period, with early in-person voting dominating participation.

Those numbers are not just statistics; they reflect the real choices of everyday residents—Black, Brown, young and working-class voters—whose participation shapes local outcomes from the county commission to statewide races. In nearby statewide contests such as the 2025 Georgia Public Service Commission elections, Muscogee County delivered overwhelming support for Democratic candidates, with both winning roughly 79 percent of the local vote. Such engagement shows how critical turnout is to political representation here at home.

But rhetoric that equates protest with “insurrection” and floats the idea of domestic troop deployment carries consequences. Peaceful demonstrations—whether in response to police violence, economic inequality or contested public policy—are an essential part of political expression. When public assembly is framed as a threat, participation becomes riskier. People stay home. Voters disengage. Organizers scale back.

Elections depend on both access and confidence. Voters must believe they can gather, speak and cast ballots without intimidation or threat of force. A heavy law-enforcement or military posture during election season sends the opposite message—especially in urban and majority-minority areas like Columbus, where historical mistrust of state power runs deep.

Analysts at institutions such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies caution that while polarization and isolated political violence are real risks, a sustained national conflict is highly unlikely. Still, that shouldn’t obscure a different danger: the normalization of force as a political tool and its dampening effect on democratic participation.

Here in Muscogee County—whose population now tops an estimated 206,000 and continues to grow as a key hub in West Georgia and the Chattahoochee Valley—every vote matters. Turnout swings of a few percentage points can tip local races, influence state legislative balance, and send signals about civic priorities at every level of government.

The question is not whether a civil war is coming. The question is whether democracy can function when military force is floated as a response to political expression. In Georgia, where voters have repeatedly turned out to decide consequential races, the answer should be clear: ballots—not bayonets—should determine our future.