Jackson Purchase News

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell has expressed concerns over the latest executive order on voting and election integrity authored by the Trump administration. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, McConnell highlighted bipartisan efforts from past years aimed at improving the electoral process, referencing the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) he co-authored with Sen. Chris Dodd in 2002. This law aimed to enhance state election authorities’ resources and technologies while maintaining the limited role of federal government in elections.

According to McConnell, "HAVA and the Election Assistance Commission it created are still on the books today, and thank goodness for that." He emphasized the importance of such measures in the face of escalating challenges to election security.

McConnell criticized the executive order, labeled as Executive Order 14248, on constitutional grounds, suggesting it jeopardizes state control over election administration. He stated, "Elections may have national consequences but the power to conduct them rests in state capitols." McConnell cautioned that the implications of this order extend beyond the current administration’s efforts to authenticate votes and prevent fraud. He warned that even well-intentioned federal mandates might pave the way for a more significant federal takeover in the future, as envisaged under past Democratic-led initiatives like H.R. 1, the “For the People Act.”

"H.R. 1 was designed to gut state laws that upheld widely popular voter-I.D. requirements as well as open the door for rampant fraud with mandates for ballot drop boxes and unlimited ballot harvesting," McConnell explained, addressing past opposition to expanded federal control over electoral processes.

Reflecting on the historical context, McConnell noted, "Washington Democrats’ rationale for their federal takeover evolved," indicating that the threat of federal interference in state-run elections remains a contentious issue.

In closing, McConnell urged the current administration to focus on supporting state-driven election integrity efforts rather than laying the foundation for future federal involvement. McConnell warned, "The current administration has better ways to spend its time than laying the groundwork for a leftwing election takeover."

Mr. McConnell, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Kentucky.