Elections

At least 12 Senators plan to object Jan. 6 electoral college certification

Published

11 months ago

January 2, 2021

Staff Writer

cruz kennedy blackburn sens oppose electoral college

A group of GOP senators, led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), are planning to object to the electoral college certification on Jan. 6, as reported by Fox News. The senators will not object if there is an emergency 10-day audit of the election results by an electoral commission.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) was the first to announce his plans to object last week—but did so for different reasons, calling out states like Pennsylvania for not following their own election laws.

NEW: @SenTedCruz leads a group of senators calling for an emergency ten-day audit of Electoral College results. pic.twitter.com/owjvsgwXt2
— Grace Segers (@Grace_Segers) January 2, 2021

The Cruz-led group now includes Senator’s Ron Johnson (R-WI), James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mike Braun (R-IN).

Seveal senators-elect plan to object, including Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

I am excited to support @tedcruz’s call for an Electoral Commission with full investigative authority to determine the TRUTH and the FACTS. The purpose is to protect the democratic process, and to ensure Americans have faith that the process is fair and secure in the long run.
— Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) January 2, 2021

“Voter fraud has posed a persistent challenge in our elections, although its breadth and scope are disputed,” the lawmakers said in a statement Saturday. “By any measure, the allegations of fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election exceed any in our lifetimes.”

The statement highlights the importance of election integrity and ensuring Americans feel secure in their voting.

“Whether or not our elected officials or journalists believe it, that deep distrust of our democratic processes will not magically disappear. It should concern us all. And it poses an ongoing threat to the legitimacy of any subsequent administrations,” the statement reads.

Today, I am joining a group of Senators to propose an election commission to resolve the electoral issues. You can view my full statement here: https://t.co/zlCLhSN4Mn https://t.co/rrzc74U7pY
— Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) January 2, 2021

The senators demand an appointment of an “Electoral commission” to investigate the election.

“We should follow that precedent. To wit, Congress should immediately appoint an Electoral Commission, with full investigatory and fact-finding authority, to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the election returns in the disputed states. Once completed, individual states would evaluate the Commission’s findings and could convene a special legislative session to certify a change in their vote, if needed,” the statement said.

Read the full statement here.

You can follow Ben Wilson on Twitter @BenDavisWilson

Elections

New York City Dems Push Law to Allow 800,000 Non-Citizens to Vote in Municipal Elections

The New York City Council will vote on December 9 on a law to allow green-card holders and residents with work permits to vote in municipal elections

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2021

Staff Writer

New York’s Democratic party is battling over the constitutionality of voter laws. On December 9, the New York City Council will vote on a law to allow green-card holders and residents with work permits to vote in municipal elections.

“Around 808,000 New York City residents who have work permits or are lawful permanent residents would be eligible to vote under the legislation, which has the support of 34 of 51 council members, a veto-proof majority” reports Fox News.

“It’s important for the Democratic Party to look at New York City and see that when voting rights are being attacked, we are expanding voter participation,” Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, a sponsor of the bill and Democrat who represents the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, told the New York Times. Rodriguez immigrated from the Dominican Republic and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

Fox News reports:

Laura Wood, Chief Democracy Officer for the mayor’s office, said at a hearing on the bill in September that the law could violate the New York State Constitution, which states that voters must be U.S. citizens age 18 or older.

Mayor Bill de Blasio indicated he could veto the bill following the September hearing.
“We’ve done everything that we could possibly get our hands on to help immigrant New Yorkers—including undocumented folks—but…I don’t believe it is legal,” de Blasio told WNYC radio at the time.

Mayor-elect Eric Adams, however, submitted testimony to the September hearing in favor of the bill. “In a democracy, nothing is more fundamental than the right to vote and to say who represents you and your community in elected office…Currently, almost one million New Yorkers are denied this foundational right.”

The legislation was first introduced two years ago, but had not yet gained traction due to the legal concerns.