Last month’s election was certain to be chaotic. Historic turnout, numerous pandemic-induced changes to states’ voting procedures, and massive mail-in voting efforts were center-stage. All of that was set against a backdrop of Republican frustration over things like Big Tech censorship, obvious biases from many traditional media outlets, and a four-year effort by Democrats in Congress to sour Americans on their President.
Fair and transparent elections are the bedrock of our great nation. Where we find ourselves today, however, is that over 74 million voters cast their ballot for Donald Trump, and a significant percentage of them still have unaddressed concerns about the legitimacy of this election. Insisting on fairness and transparency is never inappropriate or un-American, nor is asking questions like:
Why is it frowned upon to insist that the numerous reports of voting irregularities be investigated and resolved before a state seats its presidential electors?
Why did some states have a relatively smooth election last month while other states appear to be wrought with abnormalities?
Consider mail-in ballots, a number of which were distributed to every registered voter in some locales regardless of his/her desire to participate, and in some cases, they were sent to an outdated address. Why is it wrong to examine whether this practice is truly as secure as absentee voting by mail, where a voter must proactively request a ballot?
For ballots returned by mail, is it reasonable to believe the signature on every single envelope was properly authenticated before that ballot was accepted and counted? For all 65 million of these mail-in votes?
Why are Democrats, who now claim they want to “unify” the country, not standing alongside most Republicans to demand full transparency and reconcile these issues? This should not be a partisan fight. If Donald Trump were currently the projected winner under these circumstances, it would be incumbent upon every Republican to ask these same questions and strive for an outcome that all Americans would find discernibly fair.
Ultimately, every legal vote must be counted. Illegitimate votes – including ballots cast after applicable voting deadlines, ballots cast under the name of long-deceased voters, ballots that were harvested illegally, and ballots that failed to meet that state’s requirements for validity – should not be allowed to stand. Meanwhile, irregularities in voting should be fully investigated and resolved appropriately.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “elections belong to the people.” Right now, tens of millions of Americans are questioning whether this is actually true. That’s why it’s critical that the pillars of our elections be reinforced and improved where necessary and that trust be restored in this process.
Ralph Norman serves as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina’s 5th congressional district.