In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, which former President Trump baselessly claimed was rigged against him, local election offices, which typically provide clerical roles, are now giving glimpses into what potential chaos might loom in 2024.
Michigan and Nevada have also seen their share of attempts to decline certification of certain results. Meanwhile, in Arizona, a local county supervisor is suing to have ballots be counted by hand instead of machines.
“Going into this election, we see election deniers who are more organized than they were before, who have been through this once before, and may have learned something or two from all of their defeats in the 2020 election. And we also see more intensity,” said Uzoma Nkwonta, a partner at Elias Law Group, a firm that Vice President Harris’s campaign has brought on to assist with election litigation.
In Georgia, the state board recently began requiring local boards to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying election results, which critics warn could cause delays.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), who has spoken out against the board’s actions as an “11th-hour effort to impose new activist rulemaking,” said earlier this month that refusing to certify election results is unlawful and that counties must certify results by Nov. 12.
“This board has wasted time and taxpayer money to reopen issues that have already been settled,” said Allison Prendergast, who identified herself as a Gwinnett County, Ga., voter. “That’s a misuse of power.”