Five Pennsylvania Republicans who served as alternate electors for Donald Trump in 2020 have been chosen once again to serve as presidential electors in this year’s election. The GOP submitted a list of electors to the Pennsylvania Department of State, including William Bachenberg, Bernadette Comfort, Ash Khare, Patricia Poprik, and Andrew Reilly. These electors faced criticism in 2020 for casting votes for Trump despite Joe Biden winning the state’s popular vote.
While legal repercussions were avoided in 2020 due to a caveat included in their certificate, some experts argue that those who participated in the scheme should not be allowed to do so again this year. However, three of the five electors indicated they would be open to similar actions if there were legal disputes over the results.
The Electoral College process entails citizens of each state determining the presidential election outcome based on the state’s popular vote. Pennsylvania’s winning candidate’s electors will meet on Dec. 17 to cast their votes. In 2020, Pennsylvania had 20 electoral votes, and this year it has 19.
The alternate electors in 2020 were organized by the Trump campaign and met in Harrisburg to cast votes for Trump. Unlike similar groups in other states, Pennsylvania’s electors included a crucial caveat in their certificate, protecting them from legal consequences. Moving forward, they expressed willingness to participate in alternate elector schemes again under specific circumstances.
Efforts to undermine the vote-counting process and attack certification in upcoming elections will be closely monitored and held accountable, according to election experts. The public is encouraged to remain vigilant against misinformation and ensure fair elections.
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