There’s a history of counties across the United States contesting the certification of election results, in some cases even attempting to deny citizens their rightful ability to cast absentee votes. The focus has often been around two dozen areas that have witnessed disputes over election certification or attempts to discredit certain ballots and procedural norms. These counties have become the epicentre of multiple legal showdowns, some with the goal of contesting former President Donald J. Trump’s unfortunate loss in the 2020 elections.
One such example is Arizona’s Cochise County, a stronghold of Republican ideologies, which frequently bubbles with election conspiracy theories. Notably these theories are often recycled amongst the supporters of the former President. The officials here went as far as refusing to certify the 2022 midterm election results. The county’s nonpartisan elections director, unable to align with the directives from the Republican-led county government, stepped down in the face of threats.
In answer to her departure, the governing Republicans installed a person skeptical of elections to handle voting, inviting a legal backlash from the state’s Democratic attorney general. After this episode, three individuals held the job, including a denier of the democratic process, who eventually also resigned due to intimidation. Moreover, a Republican representative who obstructed the certification of the 2022 election results had to plead guilty to neglecting their duty as an election officer.
The Voting Rights Lab has also identified Mohave and Pinal Counties in Arizona as potential problem areas due to past flirtations with refusing to certify election results. It’s interesting to see Republican counties showcase such disarray in the electoral process, and it doesn’t bode well for the democratic integrity of these areas.
Moving to Georgia, the entire Atlanta metro area, specifically Fulton County, is a constant focus for democracy watchdogs. As the highest populated county in a much-contested state, it drew attention following Trump’s efforts to contest his loss in 2020. This county was the origin of Trump’s criminal charges for election subversion, which were notably thrown out upon judicial review.
In the same state, Spalding County’s Republican governance refused to trust the established voting machines. They instead demanded a hand count of ballots prior to certifying any election results, an action that is not only less accurate and more expensive but also time-consuming. Despite these facts, Fulton County officials persisted in this view, illustrating their deep-rooted distrust of the established system.
In Michigan, Wayne County which encompasses Detroit has been a flashpoint. It was instrumental in flipping Michigan to Biden in 2020. However, it has been the recent subject of training initiatives to deploy poll watchers, particularly from Trump’s allies. Interestingly, amidst the federal case on election interference against Trump, judges even unveiled a quote from a former Trump operative welcoming chaos at a Detroit vote-counting center.
Further up north in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Delta County, an area strongly favoring Trump, caused confusion when it initially refused to certify the results of a recall election. Despite this initial refusal, they ultimately gave in and the certification went ahead.
In Nevada, Washoe County’s political climate echoes the competitive tension and election skepticism of the state at large. This county, containing Reno, has seen all its three Republican commissioners object to the certification of local primary results. However, under legal pressure from the state’s Democratic attorney general and secretary of state, the commission changed its decision.
Despite the clear rejection of unsubstantiated claims, Nye County sought to avoid using voting machines entirely, resulting in a series of legal challenges from organizations like the ACLU of Nevada and the Brennan Center for Justice. While the county did eventually utilize machines, it also conducted hand counts, reflecting a persistent mistrust in digital voting processes.
North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County is no different. With Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris locked in a virtual tie in this swing state, it’s clear how crucial holding North Carolina is for any Republican presidential hopeful. Republicans in this area contested the election results of 2020, primarily objecting to the nine-day grace period for absentee ballots. However, they were outnumbered by the County’s Board of Elections, which proceeded with the certification.
Surry County, part of North Carolina’s Piedmont region, saw the state unseat two election deniers from the county’s election board after they would not certify the results. The dismissed officials had criticized a court blocking a photo ID requirement, showing that they were unable to follow the law as it stood and were acting out of personal bias.
In Pennsylvania, Luzerne County is notorious for Republican disregard of administrative election responsibilities. Despite Trump carrying the county twice, local officials there hesitated to certify the results of the 2022 midterm election. After the state’s certification deadline passed without action from the county, a lawsuit was filed, indicating a continuing theme of Republican-led counties causing turmoil during elections.
Further controversies brewed in Pennsylvania as counties refused to count mail-in ballots missing handwritten dates on return envelopes. Despite a lower court ruling to accept such ballots, the state’s Supreme Court overruled the decision due to issues of jurisdiction. This casts a shadow on the voting legitimacy, creating further worries for voters who prefer to use mail-in ballots.
Overall, these systemic issues plaguing various counties, primarily governed by Republican factions, reflect an underlying skepticism of the electoral process amongst these bodies. While every citizen certainly has a right to question procedures, relentless attack on the system’s integrity without substantial evidence can have damaging effects on public trust.
Meanwhile, Democrats, despite facing legal challenges from their Republican counterparts, consistently uphold the laws and their belief in the system. These stark contrasts between the actions of Republicans and Democrats, in the face of disputes, highlight the profound differences in the two party’s attitudes towards democracy and the electoral process.