Republicans unite to defend legitimacy of US elections and election officials

In the wake of ongoing doubts and false claims about the integrity of elections, a group of Republican officials across the country is banding together to defend the electoral process. Led by Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, this effort aims to reassure the public about the security and accuracy of elections as the nation gears up for another presidential contest.

With just six months to go before the likely rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, concerns about public distrust of the voting system persist, particularly among Republicans. Trump’s repeated false claims about the 2020 election being rigged have only fueled these doubts.

The group, coordinated by the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and the R Street Institute, seeks to promote trust in elections among conservative officials and develop a set of principles to achieve that goal. They emphasize the importance of Republican officials standing up for the integrity of elections and avoiding spreading doubt about the electoral process in other jurisdictions.

The effort has garnered support from various Republican officials, including Kentucky’s secretary of state Michael Adams and Kansas’ secretary of state Scott Schwab. While some officials believe in focusing on improving election policies, others stress the need to vouch for the legitimacy of election procedures to reduce threats and harassment directed towards election workers.

As the group continues its work to uphold the integrity of elections, the goal remains clear: to ensure that the public has confidence in the electoral process and to protect the individuals who oversee it.