Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) may be willing to consider Electoral Count Act reforms.
Democrats are seeking expansive electoral count reforms, but McConnell along with centrist Sens. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) and a number of Republican senators are open to talk modest adjustments. This is a big turnaround from last year when some GOP leaders questioned then-President-Elect Joe Biden‘s win.
“It obviously has some flaws. And it is worth, I think, discussing,” McConnell said on Wednesday of the 1887 law.
The Electoral Count Act currently states that members of Congress can challenge the results of elections.
Sinema believes that some compromise is needed to unite a deeply divided Congress. “Sen. Sinema continues to believe bipartisan action is needed to strengthen our democracy and has been in constant contact with colleagues in both parties on this and other potential areas of common ground,” said John LaBombard, a spokesman for Sinema.
Some Democrats, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), are skeptical and believe that McConnell’s willingness to consider Electoral Count Act reform is to distract from the sweeping reforms the left side really wants.
“Put your money where your mouth is. Put something on the table and let’s vote,” Warren said. “I want to see something. I’m not off to chase those rabbits until somebody has shown some real detail.”
The debate comes after the 2020 election which President Donald Trump alleged was “rigged.” With the current law, it only takes one House and one Senate member to bring the election into question (this has been used by both parties). Former Vice President Mike Pence was put under pressure to disregard the electoral results, but he followed through with the precedent and affirmed Biden’s win.
“It is something worth evaluating, and looking for other ways to make sure there is not a way to corrupt the counting process,” said Mitt Romney (R-Utah). “There is interest on both sides to talk about that.”
