GOP officials refuse to certify primaries: "This is how Republicans are planning to steal elections"

[marmar]

(Salon) Republican election officials in at least three states have refused to certify primary votes, in a sign of things to come amid the party's baseless election fraud crusade.

Numerous allies of former President Donald Trump have echoed his lies about voter fraud on the campaign trail. Trump-backed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Nevada U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt both claimed evidence of "election stealing" before any votes were cast. Colorado secretary of state candidate Tina Peters has twice demanded recounts of her Republican primary race after losing by double digits. Nevada gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert filed a lawsuit alleging that his GOP primary loss was a "mathematical impossibility," even after a recount he requested confirmed the results.

While candidates are free to challenge the results of their elections under various state guidelines, Trump-allied election officials pose a more insidious threat. Echoing the same false narratives as Trump and his endorsed candidates, county officials in New Mexico, Nevada and Pennsylvania have tried to circumvent state laws and refused to sign off on primary results.

Republican commissioners in Otero County, New Mexico last month refused to certify primary results in their GOP-dominated jurisdiction, citing unspecified concerns about Dominion voting machines. These apparently stem from TrumpWorld's crusade to stoke baseless allegations that the machines had "flipped" votes from Trump to Joe Biden. The Otero County commissioners ultimately relented and certified the votes amid concerns that they could go to jail after state officials took them to court. ..............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2022/07/30/officials-refuse-to-certify-primaries-this-is-how-are-planning-to-steal-elections/

[MagickMuffin]

1. November will prove to be a challenging time

This is their formula for stealing elections. I hope the DOJ is ready.

[jimfields33]

4. One thing that would help is allowing states to count mail in before

Election Day. Getting results weeks later is not a great thing for anybody.

[Warpy]

11. They'll be sued in state courts first

and I'm not sure about criminal charges being brought against them, what the charge would be.

Congress needs to act on this one, too. Seems crazy that penalties for not doing one's job will have to be spelled out nationally, but we are living in interesting times. Personally, I hope they go for the firing squad. It's about the only disincentive that will work on these fucking zealots.

[getagrip_already]

12. This is a soft pitch for scotus......

They already announced they will consider a case that could limit election decisions to only the state legislatures.

If they do that before november/december, they can completely throw out elections en masse.

Taking up one of these cases on the shadow docket could allow a quick ruling ensuring it will impact mid terms and throw control of both houses to the fascists.

We had our shot to expand the court, but at least 2 senators blocked it.

[PortTack]

2. PA will have to relent, just like NM. It's a stunt that will backfire

[onecaliberal]

3. Court order them to do so and then lock them up when they refuse.

[dobleremolque]

5. This stunt needs to be subject to criminal penalties and

those who pull it subject to prosecution for election fraud. Their paranoid allegations cut both ways.

[SMC22307]

6. K&R

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. The radicalized Republican party wants permanent, total control. Democracy is in their way.

The spoiled child will toss a destructive tantrum if it does not get its way.

[modrepub]

8. Exclude All Their Votes

If they won't certify (Republican dominated areas), then don't include them in the totals. This would seem a simple threat to get them going. You'd think the Republican party would want votes in their districts counted in state-wide totals, wouldn't you? But putting people in government position who could actually get things done doesn't seem to be a high priority for Republicans these days.

[sakabatou]

9. They will find a way to cheat. Repukes can't win fairly.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

10. I have an embarrassingly uninformed question:

How does a party have the power to certify votes? Isn't that a government function?
I understand a party objecting or even suing but ultimately isn't it the government calling it?

[getagrip_already]

13. where they control the boards of elections.....

They have the power to pull this shite.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. So it's actually not "GOP officials" but 'election officials who are from the GOP'?

[tanyev]

16. In heavily Republican areas all the government officials are Republicans.

Many of the sane ones who followed accepted rules and practice have left or lost primaries and now the loonies are running the government.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

14. The primary in Otero County, NM, was eventually certified.

The commissioners even said they had zero proof of any kind of fraud. The Secretary of State for NM was getting ready to come down hard on those idiots.

[live love laugh]

17. So GOTV is not THE answer. It's part of the answer

to winning.

Maybe our governors can codify the requirements for certification so there’s no wiggle room.

[pecosbob]

18. Charge the insurrectionists with nonfeasance

...a failure to act that results in harm to another party.