Yes, Election Deniers Pose a Threat to Democracy. Here’s How.
In a rural county in Nevada, there has been total chaos after election officials changed their rules for counting ballots due to unfounded conspiracy theories about voting machines. Counting the ballots by hand is taking much longer than anyone there anticipated, and it’s only leading to errors and the need for recounts–and these are just the early votes.
In Arizona, election deniers in “camouflage and tactical vests” were monitoring drop boxes and filming the people who used them, along with their cars and license plates. They claim to be monitoring fraud, but many voters rightfully report being intimidated. These vigilante poll watchers had to be taken to court to have an injunction against them.
These efforts to sabotage the voting process are simply downstream from former President Trump’s continued attacks on the integrity of President Biden’s victory. Election deniers have taken over the Republican party.
Now, imagine what people like this could do if they were elected to positions that oversaw the administration of an entire state’s elections. That’s exactly what could happen if a slate of election conspiracy theorists running for Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General win their races next week.
End Citizens United / Let America Vote released a new report looking at the broad powers these officials have in states that could decide the 2024 presidential race and how candidates who continue to lie about the voting process could sabotage and subvert the next election.
Back in Nevada, for example, Republican Secretary of State candidate Jim Marchant has said the 2020 election was “rigged” and pledged that, if elected, he’ll make sure Donald Trump wins the 2024 election.
Under Nevada’s rules, the Secretary of State certifies election results. If Marchant’s preferred candidate doesn’t win, he could refuse to do that. This would no doubt lead to wasted time and money on lawsuits and potentially create a constitutional crisis.
Before even getting to that point, the Secretary’s role in overseeing election rules and administration could lead to arbitrary and unnecessary new restrictions on how and when people can cast their ballots.
In Arizona, the unfounded attacks on ballot drop boxes are in line with Republican governor candidate Kari Lake’s repeated lies about the 2020 election and her proposals to dramatically restrict ballot access if she’s elected in November. Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem has not only called for the kind of poll watching happening outside dropboxes, but has also said he would’ve refused to certify President Biden’s victory.
If Lake and Finchem win in November, they would have power to dramatically alter election rules. The Secretary of State drafts the state’s election handbook, which Finchem has pledged to “rewrite.” While the Secretary of State must follow existing law, he could implement new rules and processes based on false election theories that put onerous new restrictions on voting. Lake would then be able to review and edit those rules. After that, if their preferred candidate still loses in 2024, Finchem could simply refuse to certify the results.
There are stories like this all over the country.
Pennsylvania Republican candidate for governor Doug Mastriano attended the January 6th “Stop the Steal rally” that turned into the violent insurrection on the Capitol and, as a State Senator, he tried to overturn the 2020 election results. As governor, he’d get to appoint the Secretary of State who would oversee elections. He could also refuse to certify the 2024 presidential election in the state if his candidate doesn’t win.
Michigan Republican Attorney General candidate Matthew DePerno was involved in the plot to tamper with voting machines in 2020 to try to prove false theories of election fraud. With his history of making baseless claims and threats to persecute his political opponents, there is little doubt that he would attempt to use the powers of his official position to undermine Michigan’s elections and democracy.
All of these extremist election deniers would have the power to restrict voting access, launch phony fraud investigations, and run countless sham election reviews. Any of them could refuse to certify the presidential election, which would lead to chaos, a possible constitutional crisis, and further undermine the public’s faith in their elections.
Attempts to overturn the 2020 election that led to a deadly attack on our government may turn out to be a simple warmup if these election deniers take power in key swing states. It’s not hyperbolic to worry about the survival of our democracy. When these MAGA extremists say they would manipulate elections and thwart the will of the people, we should believe them. Americans have been warned.
