Significant attention has been given to how we conduct and certify presidential elections ever since the events following the 2020 election - and for good reason. The existing procedures are far too vague and contributed to the confusion we witnessed in the months following the election.
That’s because of a law called the Electoral Count Act (ECA). Enacted all the way back in 1887, the law was meant to spell out the process for certifying states’ electoral votes in a presidential election and declare a winner. The problem - as we saw in the wake of 2020 - is that the language in the law isn’t clear and has been misconstrued to claim that the vice president or Congress can override the will of the American people following a presidential election.
This of course is wrong, and we cannot risk someone trying to take advantage of the ECA in 2024, which is why the current talks in Congress to reform and clarify the law are so critical. Spearheaded by lawmakers who recognize the importance of preserving the integrity of our elections, like North Carolina’s own Senator Thom Tillis, these negotiations will be an important part of ensuring we don’t witness a repeat of the 2020 election in two years.
It’s good to see Senator Tillis playing an active role in these talks, and I hope that other lawmakers join him in getting this across the finish line. Our elections are the cornerstone of our government, and ensuring their integrity is vital.
Representative Wayne Sasser- NC House 67
