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Kevin Johnson

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    Voting

    Congress’ fix to presidential votes lights the way for broader election reform

    Kevin Johnson
    December 28, 2022
    Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Joe Manchin

    Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin led the way on reforming the Electoral Count Act.

    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    Johnson is executive director of the Election Reformers Network.

    A massive 11th hour spending bill stuffed with thinly vetted backroom deals might seem proof of our political dysfunction. But the omnibus bill approved by Congress last week has democracy fans cheering – because it includes changes to presidential vote counting that could literally save our democracy. Thankfully, the old Electoral Count Act, a misguided law governing presidential electoral votes, has been fixed, blocking the dangerous scenarios that emerged in 2020 of a loophole-enabled coup d’etat.

    But there are even bigger reasons to cheer ECA reform. Understood broadly, this reform demonstrates how to fix dysfunction not just for presidential elections but throughout our election system.

    Keep ReadingShow less
    electoral count act

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    State

    To defeat election denialism, we need partisans out of election management

    Kevin Johnson
    October 17, 2022
    Frank LaRose

    Secretaries of state from both parties, including Frank LaRose of Ohio, regularly engage in partisan activities.

    Justin Merriman/Getty Images

    Johnson is executive director of the Election Reformers Network.

    The threat could hardly be clearer: Some candidates for secretary of state deny the verified outcome of the 2020 election, raising serious questions about whether they’ll reject results – and the rule of law – if they gain office.

    In response, political opponents from both parties have launched efforts to defeat election deniers at the polls this fall.

    Given the clear and present danger these candidates pose to our democracy, that’s a good thing. But political action committees and opposition ads, on their own, are Band-Aids. They may succeed in keeping some deniers out of power. But, with 10 states — including swing states Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania — at risk of putting deniers in office this cycle alone, an electoral strategy won’t succeed everywhere, in this cycle and for the future. It also does nothing to address the rising threat that partisan poll workers will advantage their side at the precinct level.

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    secretary of state
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