# The Midterms Were a Pretty Good Sign for the Right-to-Repair Movement

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-midterms-were-a-pretty-good-sign-for-the-right-to-repair-movement/
- Published: 2026-11-09T11:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T12:36:09+00:00
- Original publisher: Wired
- Original article: https://www.wired.com/story/the-midterms-were-a-pretty-good-sign-for-right-to-repair/
- Topics: Elections, Politics

## Key points

- Repair policies featured in two state candidates’ platforms.
- St Paul voters strongly backed renters’ right to repair.
- Advocates see a chance to reform the DMCA’s digital-lock rules.

## Summary

Two election outcomes in the US and a local vote in Minnesota have given fresh momentum to the right-to-repair movement. Advocates say its focus on lowering costs and giving people more control over their belongings fits voters’ calls for practical, bipartisan solutions.

Iowa senator-elect Josh Turek and presumptive Minnesota state representative Jake Johnson made repair policies part of their platforms, particularly for farm equipment; Johnson’s race was still uncalled and could go to a recount. St Paul voters also overwhelmingly backed renters’ right to repair. Advocates see reform of Section 1201 of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which criminalises bypassing digital locks, as a key opportunity in the reshuffled Congress.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.