I have appreciated hearing people’s deeply felt concerns about suspected fraud in last week’s election. We can count ourselves fortunate that there are established procedures by which campaigns can legally challenge the results of contested elections.
It is regrettable that negotiations between state legislators and the governor failed to reach an agreement on additional election security measures that may have alleviated some of the current controversy.
As many people have correctly pointed out, the news media declaring a winner is not tantamount to certifying a vote. Because the counting continues with the determinations on provisional ballots, the margin in Pennsylvania could shrink to the point where an automatic recount is required. Even if it does not, the Trump campaign can request one.
We are in the middle of a constitutional process set by our framers, and it will take some time yet to sort things out. There are pending lawsuits filed prior to the election, and the various entities also have the option of pursuing any legal action they deem appropriate. The Senate State Government Committee is planning a thorough review of the election results once finalized. Others have called for a comprehensive, bipartisan, and transparent audit to ensure the integrity of our election process.
At this point, there are really only a couple of things to assert without contradiction. We want to see all the legitimate votes counted, and the illegitimate votes discarded, and anyone who jeopardizes that should be held fully and legally accountable.