The Republican Plan to Challenge a Harris Victory

Nick Corasaniti reports on how conservative activists and groups work to manipulate the electoral process in the United States, targeting the certification process and governance of elections with some measure of success in places like Georgia.

Conservative activists and groups have been working to find weaknesses in the American electoral infrastructure and change laws to manipulate the electoral process.

Corasaniti’s research reveals that a growing movement on the right, consisting of a loose network of political operatives, activists, lawyers, local and national organizations, conservative think tanks, and sometimes even state Republican parties, is attempting to disrupt, erode, and destabilize the American electoral process.

This loose network of political operatives, activists, lawyers, and organizations has been trying to disrupt and erode the integrity of elections, focusing particularly on the certification process.

This group is looking for vulnerabilities in the American electoral infrastructure, seeking to change laws regarding how votes are cast, strategies for vote by mail, and who governs the electoral process. Their efforts intensify as the 2024 election approaches, with the certification process within the American electoral system being a primary focus. They aim to redefine and remake this process in various parts of the country.

They have had some success in places like Georgia, where they have taken over an obscure state election board and passed rules that could allow local officials to delay or challenge election certification.

In Georgia, right-wing networks, Trump-aligned think tanks, t ...

In Georgia, efforts to change election certification rules appear to be tactically positioned responses following President Biden's victory and the state’s increased competitiveness for Democrats, notably with Kamala Harris now in a distinguished position.

Georgia has been a focus for these groups due to Trump's unwillingness to accept his 2020 loss there and the state's newfound competitiveness for Democrats with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.

Conservative members gain majority, pass new rule

In recent months, the conservative wing of the Georgia State Election Board has gained a majority. This shift was initiated when two members who proposed eliminating mail-in voting were thwarted. However, a subsequent pressure campaign led to the resignation of Ed Lindsay, a board member who opposed rule changes. Janelle King replaced Lindsay, tipping the Board's balance in favor of conservative members.

With the new majority, the Board passed a rule allowing local officials to conduct "reasonable inquiries" during election certification. Such inquiries could introduce delays and escalate uncertainty surrounding election results. Additionally, these developments have received public endorsement and encouragement from former President Trump, drawing concern over a coord ...

The new Georgia certification rules raise concerns about the potential for significant challenges during a close 2024 election, with former President Trump’s praise of the rule indicating possible political connections. If these rules remain, they could precipitate a range of effects on electoral integrity and the peaceful transfer of power.

If the new Georgia certification rules remain in place

The rule empowers local election officials in Georgia with the ability to cast doubt on election results, potentially refuse to certify, or demand additional evidence, which could delay the election process and defy important deadlines. These officials might cause delays that lead to missed federal deadlines for certifying slates of electors to the Electoral College. If such challenges to certification are mounted, it could cause chaos and uncertainty, leading to legal confrontations and lending political legitimacy to doubts seeded by right-wing allies. This situation could culminate as Congress attempts to certify the Electoral College results.

This scenario could play out by missing key deadlines for certification

The imminent danger is a scenario where the election outcomes are actively contested, with officials missing crucial deadlines for certification. If a local official raises allegations of fraud—regardless of their veracity—it could delay Georgia's results. This could cause a domino effect of legal and political disputes, casting a cloud of uncertainty over the election results, and could ultimately trigger a battle in Congress over the certification of the election.

This would represent a dangerous escalation of efforts to overturn electio ...

Amid concerns over electoral integrity, there is a significant legal and political effort underway, involving Democrats, the Harris campaign, and some mainstream Republicans, to safeguard the electoral process, especially in light of the new Georgia rules.

Democrats and Republicans working together on legal safeguards

Courts could play a crucial role in averting potential electoral crises by intervening at various points. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have come together to pass the Electoral Count Reform Act, intending to strengthen the federal congressional certification process against vulnerabilities that might be exploited to subvert electoral outcomes. This critical legislation aims to set a firmer deadline for federal certification and minimize the chances of undermining this essential democratic process.

Additionally, there is a concerted effort by these political actors to establish clear legal precedents that would assert that election officials are obligated to certify elections without any discretion. For instance, Georgia's Governor Kemp, who has supported new voting bills criticized by Democrats and election experts for being suppressive, has nonetheless indicated his willingness to adhere to court orders pertaining to election result certification ...