Tag: election security

VoterGA’s Garland Favorito Slams Georgia Secretary of State’s Request for Funds to Audit Ballots

Kaitlin Housler
Georgia Voting Machines

VoterGA, a nonprofit election integrity organization, spoke out against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s request for more taxpayer funds from the Georgia Legislature to implement an audit of Georgia’s QR-coded Dominion Democracy Suite 5.5 voting system.

On Monday, Raffensperger called on the Georgia State Senate to “agree to funding for new technology approved by the House that would give election officials the ability to audit the text of every choice on every ballot, in every contest – without the use of QR codes.”

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Election Integrity Watchdog Recommends 14 Reforms for States to Improve Election Security

Just the News
People Voting

As the 2024 election cycle begins, the Honest Elections Project releases its report on 14 election reforms that states should make to protect the integrity of elections. 

With the 2024 presidential primary elections underway, a bipartisan election integrity watchdog has released its updated report on election reforms that they say will help secure their elections. Some of these reforms have been considered or implemented in various states since the 2020 presidential election, during which there were numerous irregularities and inequities. 

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Democratic Judge Questions Differing Ballot-Curing Rules Across Pennsylvania

Bradley Vasoli

As political-party attorneys and the state of Pennsylvania argued over “curing” election ballots on Thursday, the Democratic judge hearing the case suggested that differing county rules could undermine confidence in election integrity.

Judge Ellen Ceisler, one of two Democrats on the seven-member Commonwealth Court, conducted the hearing in which Republican Party lawyers pressed their case against Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman (D). Per litigation filed three weeks ago, the plaintiffs contended that the court should not permit the secretary to let counties notify absentee or mail-in voters that their ballots contain mistakes that can supposedly be corrected or “cured.” 

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Mastriano Bill to Allow Out-of-County Poll Watchers in Pennsylvania Passes Senate

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania’s state Senate passed legislation this week that would permit a Pennsylvania voter to serve as a poll watcher in an election precinct outside of his or her county.

Current law lets candidates and parties appoint poll watchers — volunteers who are often party committee members — to election precincts only in those watchers’ respective counties. State guidance allows these appointees to “make good-faith challenges” to an elector’s residence, identity or voting eligibility.

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Corman to Bannon: Election Integrity Will Be Paramount in Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Administration

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore and gubernatorial candidate Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) appeared on Steve Bannon’s War Room Thursday to discuss his proposed reforms to make elections more secure in his state.

Corman promised to call for a special legislative session on election-related legislation the day he takes office. Items he said he intends to address foremost are requiring identification of all voters, rescinding a state policy allowing people to vote by mail without submitting an excuse, banning absentee-ballot drop boxes and banning the use of private grants for election administration.

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Montgomery County, Pennsylvania GOP Asks Commissioners to Consider Election Reforms

Bradley Vasoli

NORRISTOWN, PA—Montgomery County, Pennsylvania’s Republican Party yesterday asked the county’s Democrat-controlled Board of Elections to consider several election-security measures, mainly regarding absentee voting.

At a County Commissioners’ meeting, Montgomery County Republican Committee (MCRC) Chair Liz Preate Havey said the reforms her organization proposes will curb alleged breaches of law and foulups in administration that have already taken place in the county during recent elections.

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Wisconsin Gubernatorial Candidate Rebecca Kleefisch Proposes ‘Office of Election Integrity and Public Trust’

Cooper Moran

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch, who is running to replace Governor Tony Evers, proposed establishing an Office of Election Integrity & Public Trust in order to “restore confidence in elections.”

The new organization would be housed within the Wisconsin Department of Justice and have the power to investigate election complaints.

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Florida Petition Signature Fraud Reported Amid DeSantis Election Security Proposal

Steve Stewart

As political partisans weigh-in against Governor DeSantis’ election security proposal which calls for an election oversight police force, recent reports indicate the presence of petition signature fraud in at least six Florida counties related to a gambling petition drive.

The election security proposal by DeSantis would put in place a special police force to help regulate state elections. The Office of Election Crimes and Security would be created in the Department of State. The proposal seeks approximately $6 million to hire 52 people to enforce election laws.

Critics note that the law could be used to intimidate voters.

“My number one concern is that this is going to be used as a tool to harass or intimidate civic-engagement organizations and voters,” said Jonathan Diaz, a voting rights lawyer with the Campaign Legal Center.

One state legislator pointed out the new office is not needed since Florida has had no issues during recent elections.

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Pennsylvania House to Vote on Election-Integrity Bill When Members Return in December

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania’s Republican-run House of Representatives Thursday slated major election-integrity legislation for a vote in mid-December.

The Voting Rights Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover), would strengthen voter-identification requirements, mandate regular election audits, review and correct errors on voter-registration lists and ensure signature verification for all mail-in ballots. The bill was amended this week to also affirm a strict time frame wherein mail-in ballots must be counted.

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Fraud Case Refueling Interest in Pennsylvania Election-Integrity Bill Vetoed by Governor

Bradley Vasoli
Sign that says "protect election integrity"

Voter-fraud charges recently filed against a Philadelphia former judge of elections are spurring renewed emphasis by Pennsylvania legislators on enacting an election-integrity bill Gov. Tom Wolf (D) vetoed earlier this year.

State Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) introduced the initial version of his legislation in June. The measure, whose central feature was a voter-identification requirement for every election, quickly passed the House and Senate but Wolf rejected it as “voter suppression.” Since that time, the governor has sent mixed signals about whether he might support strengthened voter-ID rules, prompting Grove to reintroduce his bill.

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New Book Details Repeated Shortcomings in Michigan Electoral Process

Cooper Moran

In a new book entitled Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections, senior editor at The Federalist Mollie Hemmingway details repeated efforts by Democrats to weaken the electoral process in Michigan before the 2020 election.

According to Hemmingway, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and election attorney Marc Elias worked to “water down” requirements for absentee ballots.

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‘Virginians For America First’ Launch Project to Promote Election Integrity, Release Report to Strengthen Elections

Cooper Moran
People in a conference room with a powerpoint being projected.

Virginians for American First (VFAF), a 501(c)4 established to help restore the founding fathers’ vision of the American republic, launched a project with the goal of promoting election security throughout the state.

As a step in the project, the organization conducted a survey of registrars, officials responsible for the conduct of elections at the county and city level, and issued a report that explained numerous areas of concern.

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Rep. Paul Gosar’s Siblings Pen Op-Ed, Say He Is ‘Immune to Shame’

Cooper Moran

The siblings of U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04) slammed their brother in a recent opinion piece for his behavior, claiming their brother “betrayed America.”

“Although his colleagues in Congress and others in the media seem to only recently be paying attention, we have been aware of his unhinged behavior for years,” the trio of Gosar siblings wrote in their piece published by NBC Think on Sunday.

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Raffensperger’s Office Seeks Over $100,000 to Complete Open Records Request Submitted by Georgia Secretary of State Candidate David Belle Isle

Cooper Moran

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office will charge David Belle Isle, who is challenging Raffensperger in the GOP primary for the top elections post, more than $100,000 to complete an open records request. 

Further, Raffensperger’s office claimed producing the documents would take approximately 230 business days to complete — a timeline that conveniently places the results after the GOP primary election for secretary of state.

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Former President Trump Holds Rally in Phoenix, Highlights Election Security

Laura Baigert

PHOENIX, Arizona – The Star News Network Wire Service – Former President Trump took the stage to thunderous applause at his rally in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, where he highlighted efforts across the country he said are needed to ensure the integrity of elections.

“Thank you to Charlie [Kirk] for that introduction which was so beautiful, and for   your fearless leadership at Turning Point Action and Turning Point USA,” Trump told the crowd as he began his speech at 3:55 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

“Let me also express my appreciation to the thousands of bold, young, and proud American Patriots that are with us today. What a crowd, what a crowd … You are the pulse of our movement, you are the ones who will make America Great Again,” the 45th President of the United States added.

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Poll Shows That Large Number of Arizonans Believe Election Audit is Important

Cooper Moran
"I Voted" Stickers

A recent poll conducted on the Arizona election audit demonstrated high levels of support from Republican voters and that almost half of the state’s residents believe the ballot examination is important.

The Arizona Public Opinion Pulse poll showed that the majority of Republican voters view the audit favorably, and 62% believe that the results of the audit will show that former president Donald Trump received more votes in Arizona than President Joe Biden.

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Fulton County Commission Chair Says All Georgia Counties Should be Investigated for Potential Fraud

Cooper Moran
Robb Pitts Fulton County

Robb Pitts, chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, sent a letter to Georgia House of Representative Speaker David Ralston claiming that all counties within the state should be investigated for potential fraud.

“If you are requesting that Fulton County be the subject of such an investigation, then I believe it would only be fair that all counties with issues be subject to investigation,” Pitts wrote in his letter to Speaker Ralston.

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Trump Praises Efforts of State Sen. Burt Jones, Hits Gov. Kemp and Secretary of State Raffensperger

Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump praised State Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) for his efforts in examining the results of the 2020 election, while knocking Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for their lack of action.

“Thank you to Senator Burt Jones and all of the other Patriots for continuing the fight. Brian Kemp and Brad Raffensperger have done an absolutely terrible job of watching over Voter Integrity in Georgia. They must be held accountable!” Trump said in a statement.

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Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Calls for Fulton County Officials to Be Fired After Repeated Election Mistakes

Cooper Moran

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Thursday called for two of the top elections officials in Fulton County to be fired after numerous mistakes in the election process have been discovered.

“Fulton County’s continued failures have gone on long enough with no accountability. Rick Barron and Ralph Jones, Fulton’s registration chief, must be fired and removed from Fulton’s elections leadership immediately. Fulton’s voters and the people of Georgia deserve better,” Raffensperger said in a tweet.

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Former President Trump Slams Fulton County Recount After New Claims of Irregularities

Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump released a statement on Wednesday slamming the recount of the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia — after a lawsuit alleged there was a 60% error rate in the hand count audit.

“The news coming out of Georgia is beyond incredible. The hand recount in Fulton County was a total fraud! They stuffed the ballot box—and got caught. We will lose our Country if this is allowed to stand,” Trump said.

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Arizona Woman Indicted for Casting Ballot for Dead Mother in 2020 Election

Cooper Moran

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced on Monday that an Arizona woman has been indicted for one count of Illegal Voting and one count of Perjury, after the woman cast a ballot for her deceased mother in the 2020 election.

According to the indictment, Tracey Kay McKee, a Scottsdale resident, signed the name of her mother and submitted the early ballot.

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Ohio Secretary of State Identifies More Than a Hundred Non-Citizens Who Registered to Vote in 2020 Election

Cooper Moran

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced on Monday that his office has identified 117 non-citizens that registered to vote for the 2020 election — a violation of Ohio state law.

After identifying the individuals, LaRose referred the individuals to the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost for investigation and potential prosecution.

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Michigan Attorney General to Investigate Individuals Who Raised Election Security Concerns

Cooper Moran

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Thursday that her office will use taxpayer funds and the state’s police to investigate people who raised concerns of the security of the November 2020 election.

According to the attorney general’s spokesperson, she will accept a request from Michigan GOP state senators to examine individuals allegedly earned money from false claims.

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Republican Business Executive Beau Lane to Run for Arizona Secretary of State

Cooper Moran
Beau Lane of Arizona

Beau Lane, a Phoenix advertising executive, announced that he will launch a campaign for Secretary of State — a position within the state that has gained national attention.

According to the video announcing his candidacy and his campaign website, Lane will attempt to cast himself as an “outsider” with solutions to improve the office. “We need a citizen and a leader, not a career politician, to restore faith and trust in our democratic institutions,” his website reads.

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Supreme Courts Upholds Arizona Voting Laws Aimed at Increasing Election Security

Cooper Moran

In a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld on Thursday two Arizona rules that were implemented in an attempt to increase overall election security.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich celebrated the decision handed down by the court. “I am thankful the justices upheld states’ ability to pass and maintain commonsense election laws, at a time when our country needs it most.”

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Trump Weighs in on New York Election Debacle

Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on Wednesday on the difficulty and issues facing the New York City mayor Democratic primary.

“Just like in the 2020 Presidential Election, it was announced overnight in New York City that vast irregularities and mistakes were made and that Eric Adams, despite an almost insurmountable lead, may not win the race,” Trump said in a statement while highlighting the issues plaguing the race.

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Former Trump Campaign Advisor Boris Epshteyn Predicts States Will Decertify 2020 Election Results

Cooper Moran

Boris Epshteyn, attorney and former strategic advisor to the 2020 Trump Campaign, predicted that many states will decertify their election results for the November 2020 election.

In an interview with Gina Loudon, Epshteyn said the series of audits that may occur could lead to the reversal. Additionally, there is no language in the Constitution that prevents such a move. 

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Georgia Secretary of State Candidate David Belle Isle Files Open Record Requests for Election Documents

Cooper Moran
David Belle Isle

David Belle Isle, former mayor of Alpharetta and candidate for Secretary of State in Georgia, filed multiple open records requests to examine documents related to the November 2020 election. 

According to his interview with Breitbart News, the requests cover a wide variety of concerns about the security of the election — including items such as signature complaints, chain of custody documents for drop boxes, and surveillance videos for drop boxes. Belle Isle is utilizing Georgia’s Open Records Act to bring more transparency to the election process.

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Vernon Jones Accuses Georgia Gov. Kemp of ‘Sitting on the Sideline’ During 2020 Election

Cooper Moran

Former state lawmaker and GOP gubernatorial candidate Vernon Jones released a video on Thursday criticizing Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for his actions during the 2020 election process.

“In 2020, I witnessed, firsthand, Brian Kemp abandon the President, costing us two Senate seats and the Oval Office. He chose to sit on the sideline,” Jones said. “While Brian Kemp was on the sidelines, I was on the frontlines — rallying support for the President, criss-crossing the country, and fighting for the integrity of our elections.

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Vernon Jones Files Amicus Brief in Lawsuit Against MLB

Cooper Moran

Vernon Jones, former state lawmaker and GOP candidate for Governor, filed a Amicus Brief in the Georgia lawsuit against Major League Baseball.

According to a tweet by Jones, the Brief is in support of a lawsuit filed by the Job Creators Network for damages lost in response to the decision to move the MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta. The MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred decided to pull the game because he claimed the new law restricted voting access.

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Trump Criticizes Ducey for Veto of Critical Race Theory and Election Security Bills

Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump slammed Arizona Governor Doug Ducey on Wednesday for vetoing bills that would have outlawed Critical Race Theory (CRT) training for state employees and another that would prevent mailing ballots to individuals who did not request them. 

“Incredible to see that RINO Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona just vetoed a bill that would have outlawed Critical Race Theory training for State employees, and another that would have banned the mailing of ballots to citizens who never requested them,” Trump said in his statement. 

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