Election Vote Certification

All Americans need to keep this in mind: In the last presidential election, Donald Trump attempted to overturn a valid, secure election to stay in power. Anyone who believes he won’t try again is simply mistaken.

While Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, it is evident that this is the agenda for MAGA Republicans. JD Vance even wrote the foreword to the plan.

There has been talk about MAGA Republicans being placed in key positions in swing states, with the potential to refuse to certify elections at the precinct or county level. Therefore, I posed the question to ChatGPT about each swing state.

Arizona

In a presidential election, what happens in Arizona if a precinct does not certify votes?

In Arizona, if a precinct (more commonly referred to as a county in the context of election certification) does not certify its votes in a presidential election, the following steps and consequences might occur:

1.    Delay in Certification: The overall certification process for the state can be delayed. Arizona's results are only finalized when all counties have certified their results.

2.    Legal Challenges: Candidates, parties, or other interested parties might file lawsuits to compel the county to certify its votes. These legal actions aim to ensure that the county fulfills its obligation to certify the election results.

3.    State Intervention: The Arizona Secretary of State may intervene to address the lack of certification. This could include issuing directives or taking legal action to compel certification.

4.    Board of Supervisors' Role: In Arizona, the county Board of Supervisors is responsible for certifying the election results. If a county board refuses to certify, it can face legal consequences, and members may be subject to court orders mandating certification.

5.    Impact on Electoral Votes: Arizona is a key battleground state, and any delay or refusal to certify votes in a county can have significant implications for the allocation of the state's electoral votes. In close elections, this can affect the overall outcome of the presidential race.

6.    Investigation and Resolution: There may be an investigation into the reasons behind the refusal to certify. Issues such as allegations of fraud, errors in vote counting, or other irregularities might be cited. These issues would need to be resolved before certification can proceed.

Ultimately, the failure of a county to certify its votes can create significant legal and procedural challenges, potentially delaying the final determination of election results in Arizona.

Georgia

In a presidential election, what happens in Georgia if a precinct does not certify votes?

In Georgia, if a precinct (more accurately, a county) does not certify its votes in a presidential election, several steps and potential consequences could follow:

1.    Delay in State Certification: The overall certification of the state's results can be delayed, as the state relies on each county to certify its results before finalizing the overall state totals.

2.    Legal Challenges: Legal actions may be initiated by candidates, political parties, or other stakeholders to compel the county to certify its votes. Courts can issue orders to enforce the certification process.

3.    State Intervention: The Georgia Secretary of State has the authority to intervene if a county fails to certify its results. This could involve legal measures or directives to ensure compliance with certification requirements.

4.    County Board of Elections' Role: In Georgia, the county Board of Elections is responsible for certifying the election results. If the board refuses to certify, members could face legal consequences, including potential removal from office or other penalties.

5.    Impact on Electoral Votes: Georgia is a pivotal state in presidential elections, and any delay or failure to certify votes in a county can have significant implications for the allocation of the state's electoral votes, especially in a close race.

6.    Investigation and Resolution: An investigation may be conducted to determine the reasons behind the refusal to certify. Issues such as alleged fraud, voting irregularities, or counting errors would need to be addressed and resolved before certification can proceed.

Failure to certify votes in a county can complicate the election process, leading to delays and legal battles, ultimately affecting the timely determination of the election results in Georgia.

Michigan

In a presidential election, what happens in Michigan if a precinct does not certify votes?

In Michigan, if a precinct (more accurately, a county) does not certify its votes in a presidential election, several steps and consequences can occur:

1. Delay in State Certification: The overall certification of Michigan's election results can be delayed. The state relies on each county to certify its results before finalizing the state totals.
2. Legal Challenges: Candidates, political parties, or other interested parties may file lawsuits to compel the county to certify its votes. Courts can issue orders to enforce certification.
3. State Intervention: The Michigan Secretary of State has the authority to intervene if a county fails to certify its results. This could involve legal actions or directives to ensure compliance with certification requirements.
4. County Board of Canvassers' Role: In Michigan, the county Board of Canvassers is responsible for certifying election results. If the board refuses to certify, members could face legal consequences, including potential court orders or penalties.
5. Impact on Electoral Votes: Michigan is a key battleground state, and any delay or failure to certify votes in a county can significantly impact the allocation of the state's electoral votes, especially in a close election.
6. Investigation and Resolution: An investigation may be conducted to determine the reasons behind the refusal to certify. Allegations of fraud, voting irregularities, or counting errors would need to be addressed and resolved before certification can proceed.

Failure to certify votes in a county can lead to significant legal and procedural challenges, potentially delaying the final determination of election results in Michigan.

Nevada

In a presidential election, what happens in Nevada if a precinct does not certify votes?

In Nevada, if a precinct (or more precisely, a county) does not certify its votes in a presidential election, the following steps and consequences might occur:

1. Delay in State Certification: The overall certification of Nevada's election results can be delayed. The state depends on each county to certify its results before the state can finalize and certify the overall results.
2. Legal Actions: Candidates, political parties, or other interested parties may file lawsuits to compel the county to certify its votes. Courts can issue orders to enforce the certification process.
3. State Intervention: The Nevada Secretary of State has the authority to intervene if a county fails to certify its results. This could involve issuing directives or taking legal action to ensure compliance with the certification requirements.
4. County Board of Commissioners' Role: In Nevada, the county Board of Commissioners is responsible for certifying election results. If the board refuses to certify, members could face legal consequences, including court orders mandating certification.
5. Impact on Electoral Votes: Nevada is a key state in presidential elections, and any delay or failure to certify votes in a county can have significant implications for the allocation of the state's electoral votes, especially in a close election.
6. Investigation and Resolution: An investigation may be conducted to determine the reasons behind the refusal to certify. Allegations of fraud, voting irregularities, or counting errors would need to be addressed and resolved before certification can proceed.

Failure to certify votes in a county can lead to significant legal and procedural challenges, potentially delaying the final determination of election results in Nevada.

Pennsylvania

In a presidential election, what happens in Pennsylvania if a precinct does not certify votes?

In Pennsylvania, if a precinct does not certify its votes in a presidential election, it can cause several issues:

1.    Delay in Results: The overall certification of election results can be delayed because all precincts must certify their votes before the state can finalize and certify its overall results.

2.    Legal Actions: The situation can lead to legal challenges. Candidates or parties might file lawsuits to compel the precinct to certify its votes.

3.    State Intervention: State authorities, such as the Pennsylvania Department of State, might intervene to address the issue. This intervention could include legal measures to ensure that the precinct complies with the certification process.

4.    Impact on Electoral Votes: Since Pennsylvania is a crucial swing state with a significant number of electoral votes, any delay or issue with vote certification in even one precinct can potentially impact the overall outcome of the presidential election, especially if the election is closely contested.

5.    Investigation and Resolution: There may be an investigation into why the precinct did not certify the votes. If there are valid concerns, such as issues of fraud or errors in vote counting, these need to be resolved before certification can occur.

Overall, a failure to certify votes in a precinct can complicate and prolong the election process, potentially affecting the timely determination of the election results.

Wisconsin

In a presidential election, what happens in Wisconsin if a precinct does not certify votes?

In Wisconsin, if a county does not certify its votes in a presidential election, the following steps and potential consequences may occur:

1. Delay in State Certification: The certification of the state's overall results can be delayed since the state relies on all counties to certify their results before it can finalize and certify the statewide results.
2. Legal Challenges: Candidates, political parties, or other stakeholders may file lawsuits to compel the county to certify its votes. Courts can issue orders mandating the county to complete the certification process.
3. State Intervention: The Wisconsin Elections Commission or the Secretary of State may intervene to address the failure to certify. This could involve legal actions or directives aimed at ensuring compliance with certification requirements.
4. County Board of Canvassers' Role: In Wisconsin, the county Board of Canvassers is responsible for certifying election results. If the board refuses to certify, its members could face legal consequences, including potential court orders or penalties.
5. Impact on Electoral Votes: As a battleground state, any delay or failure to certify votes in a Wisconsin county can have significant implications for the allocation of the state's electoral votes, especially in a closely contested election.
6. Investigation and Resolution: An investigation may be conducted to determine the reasons for the refusal to certify. Issues such as allegations of fraud, voting irregularities, or counting errors would need to be addressed and resolved before certification can proceed.

The failure of a county to certify its votes can lead to substantial legal and procedural challenges, delaying the final determination of election results in Wisconsin.