They Had One Job

This Week In Democracy

• Two Arizona county officials?were indicted ?on felony charges after?delaying certification of the valid results of the 2022 election.The charges, which include conspiracy and interfering with an election officer, each carry up to two and a half years in prison. ?
• Prosecutors in Georgia?do not intend to offer plea deals?to former?President Trump, Mark Meadows,?or?Rudy Giuliani,?according to?new reporting from The Guardian . Four of the 19 defendants have already?accepted plea deals ?and may testify against the others. ???READ:?The Georgia charges, explained ?

• Judge?Tanya Chutkan?denied an attempt ?by Trump’s legal team to subpoena records from the House January 6 Select Committee. Chutkan said their attempt resembled a?“fishing expedition”?rather than a legitimate attempt to find evidence to bring to trial. ???READ:?The federal charges, explained ?

• Bipartisan leaders?came together ?to launch?Bedrock,?an organization dedicated to?building a safer future by preventing hate-fueled violence,?including political violence.?States United?is proud to be a founding partner.

They Had One Job

When county officials refuse to certify valid election results, they’re breaking public trust as well as the law. It’s that simple. And as we’ve said throughout this?year of accountability , those who break the law to undermine our democracy must face consequences.?

In Arizona this week, two Cochise County supervisors were?indicted by a grand jury ?and charged with two felonies each—conspiracy and interfering with an election officer—after they?refused to certify ?the county’s 2022 election results.?

The two supervisors cited unfounded theories about voting machines. One of them?later said ?she was refusing to certify her county’s election results not because of any specific problems within her county, but instead to protest printer malfunctions in an entirely different county—malfunctions that did not prevent any voters from casting their ballots .?

Needless to say, this is not an excuse for illegal activity, or for disenfranchising the 47,000 people who cast ballots in Cochise County’s free and fair election in 2022. The results were certified only after a judge?ordered the two supervisors to do their jobs, and even then one of the supervisors refused.?

This is a growing threat: Scattered local officials across the country have?tried similar ?schemes . When they refuse to certify valid results, these officials are trying to rob people of the freedom to vote. It’s unacceptable in a democracy. Accountability is how we make that clear—and stop it from happening in the future.

State of the States

In Michigan,?Gov. Gretchen Whitmer?signed a series of bills ?into law to strengthen the state’s elections. One new provision?makes it a crime ?to intimidate election workers, with a penalty of up to three months in prison for a first offense. Another provision is meant to?protect voters from disinformation by regulating the use of artificial intelligence in political ads. And another will?align Michigan’s election certification process ?with the federal Electoral Count Reform Act, which is meant to make it harder to sabotage the vote count for presidential elections.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

This week marked the end of Native American Heritage Month, an occasion to honor and celebrate the history and culture of Native peoples and their contributions to our democracy.?

Native voters are an?increasingly consequential part of the electorate ,?especially in some key states . About 4.7 million Native Americans are?eligible to vote , according to the Native American Rights Fund. Yet they face?disproportionate consequences ?from policies that add barriers to voting, such as limiting or banning ballot drop boxes. Policies that?lower those barriers ?increase Native voter turnout and make our democracy more representative of all its people.?

You can read more about the impact of Native peoples in government, and the vital work state officials are doing to uplift and protect their voices,?here .

A New Advisor for States United

Kim Wyman?is the?newest member ?of the States United Bipartisan Advisory Board. Wyman is a former Republican secretary of state of Washington and an expert in election security. She has also served as a senior election security advisor in the Biden administration. States United CEO?Joanna Lydgate?said Wyman’s “extensive background and tireless commitment to protecting the democratic process make her a tremendous asset to our team.”

In the News

• The Press-Enterprise:?Why a Riverside County sheriff’s voter fraud probe worries democracy watchdogs Katie Reisner, senior counsel at the elections watchdog?States United Democracy Center, said that she’s “not privy to the particulars of this situation, but I do think it’s important to underscore a key principle: a sheriff’s job—the job of any law enforcement professional—is to investigate credible allegations. Not just any allegations.” ?

• The New York Times:?Appeals Court Says Jan. 6 Suits Against Trump Can Proceed for Now ?

• The Philadelphia Inquirer:?Following years of uncertainty around undated ballots, Pa. announces changes to the ballot envelopes to reduce voter errors ?

• The Associated Press:?An appeals court reinstates gag order that barred Trump from maligning court staff in NY fraud trial ?

• ABC News:?Pence told Jan. 6 special counsel harrowing details about 2020 aftermath, warnings to Trump: Sources ?

• NBC News:?Texas man who threatened Georgia election officials is sentenced to 2 years in prison ?

• The Washington Post:?Why new Ariz. indictments are key in the fight against election subversion ?

• Madison Commons:?Dane County looks for new ways to combat misinformation ahead of the 2024 elections

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