Rep. Andy Harris, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, suggested that North Carolina should consider awarding Electoral College votes to former President Donald Trump before counting citizens’ votes. He argued that voters in 25 disenfranchised counties should not have their votes ignored. However, Harris later clarified that he believes every legal vote should be counted, and voting is going well in western North Carolina. North Carolina’s State Board of Elections has implemented emergency measures to assist those impacted by Hurricane Helene in voting.
Critics, such as Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt, have called the idea of awarding electoral votes before the people have voted profoundly antidemocratic. Levitt noted that for a state legislature to make such a change, a law must be passed and signed by the governor before Election Day, which is unlikely in North Carolina with a Republican-controlled legislature and Democratic governor.
The Secretary of State in North Carolina has stated that there is no authority to switch electors after voters have cast their ballots, and Democratic Governor Roy Cooper will be responsible for certifying the winner of the presidential race. The Electoral College is scheduled to meet on December 17th for electors to cast their votes, leading to the final count by the new Congress on January 6th. Overall, the idea of awarding Electoral College votes before the election results are in has been met with skepticism and criticism from legal experts and election officials.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com