We have witnessed a troubling trend over the past several years of predominantly white states attempting to take over aspects of local governance in predominantly Black and brown cities and counties. States proposed almost 700 bills in 2023 to interfere with local governance. The trend began with takeovers of local school boards, but as minority political power has steadily increased, states have increasingly used the tactic to take over aspects of local election administration in Black and brown jurisdictions. For example, Texas recently enacted legislation to undermine local control over election administration in Harris County (a majority-minority county). Mississippi recently stripped away the ability of voters in Jackson (80% Black) to elect their judges. This session will describe the trend of state takeovers, how states implement them, strategies to combat them, and why it is crucial to prevent them in order to protect minority political power. The session would highlight the voices of activists, practitioners, and community members who have been in the trenches fighting takeovers, as well as academics who have studied the trend.