You have to decide between return on your money vs return of your money. If they blow up due to some other client mistake, your money's gone too.
The note on VIX margin came out a week ago. It's not if the election result is going to be a surprise, it's that there's an election at all (and that was hard to miss!).
IB have nice marketing and fine if within the normal distribution, but they are unreliable in extreme events, and that is where the money is made. So went with a different broker, turns out that was the smart choice, prevention is the best cure.
The one IB sent to anyone holding them saying they were ramping requirements up to 50% a little each day in Nov until Election Day.
I don't think auto liquidation is completely unreasonable. Otherwise, one is expecting the broker to sustain increased risk for the sake of hoping that the trade eventually works out for the client. Client should not put themselves in a position where they can get wiped out.
VOTE TRUMP!!! IB already has very high margins as is. They are a safe place for your hard earned $$ tho.