#384 — Stress Testing Our Democracy
Making Sense with Sam Harris
Erosion of Trust: When Election Integrity Becomes a Political Weapon
Recent developments in election integrity involve political attempts to control the certification of election results, particularly in swing states like Georgia. The push has been led by partisan election officials, exemplified by a county board member who refused to certify primary election results, citing a need to investigate alleged wrongdoing. This individual, a long-time election denier, sought the authority to demand sensitive data from election officials. Subsequently, the state's Republican governor appointed three party members to the election board, which facilitated new rules allowing county administrators to refuse certification and initiate investigations instead. Historically, election certification has been a ministerial role, with disputes reserved for the courts, which have consistently dismissed claims of electoral fraud. The shift towards partisan oversight threatens to introduce chaos and the potential for manipulating election outcomes, thereby undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
