ICYMI: Former GOP Governors: The Election Will Be Free & Far

“False claims about voter fraud and stolen ballots are undermining faith in the election. Here’s why you can trust the result.”

Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, RightCount Co-Chairs, former Governor Mark Schweiker of Pennsylvania and former Governor Pat McCrory of North Carolina, jointly authored an Election Eve op-ed for U.S. News & World Report in which they reassure voters that “our elections are secure, and you should have faith in the process.” Schweiker and McCrory have taken an active role in building out teams of civic leaders inside their home states to dispel election myths and falsehoods and rebuild and fortify trust in the electoral process. Excerpts from their op-ed can be found below.

Former GOP Governors: The Election Will Be Free & Far
By Gov. Mark Schweiker, Gov. Patrick McCrory | November 4, 2024

As Republicans and former governors of two of the most fiercely contested battleground states likely to determine the outcome of the presidential election – North Carolina and Pennsylvania – we know the critical importance of ensuring the integrity of our election process. With early voting already underway, we want to reassure voters: Our elections are secure, and you should have faith in the process.

In recent weeks, some of our fellow Republicans have asserted that illegal immigrants are voting in droves, a claim that has been widely debunked. Such efforts to undermine confidence in elections seem intended to pit Americans against each other and cast doubt on the results of the vote before the ballots have even been counted.

The reality is that states have many systems in place to prevent noncitizens from voting, and study after study has found that noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare. Anyone who violates the law faces deportation or prison time.

In our states, we have systems in place to verify the identity and eligibility of every voter. In Pennsylvania, someone who is voting at a polling place for the first time must present valid identification, and in North Carolina, voters are required to show voter ID after a landmark Supreme Court ruling last year. Before the voter receives their ballot, valid identification is matched to the legal voter file upon arrival at the polls. Even in states where ID is not required, new registrants are mandated to use standardized registration forms in which individuals must attest to their U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury.

Another misconception is that voting machines are vulnerable to hacking because they are connected to the internet. This is false. Voting machines in the United States are not connected to the internet during the voting process, making them highly secure from remote interference. Many of the machines used across the country are also thoroughly tested and certified to ensure they meet stringent security standards.

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We should be laser-focused on strict adherence to the rule of law and combating these propaganda efforts – not chasing phantom threats. That’s why we serve as state chairs of RightCount, a nonprofit organization committed to restoring trust in our elections, supporting election workers and explaining to voters in our home states, through advertising and events, the accuracy and integrity of the vote count and certification process.

The organization has built a broad coalition of respected civic leaders, including military veterans, small business owners, firefighters, law enforcement officials and religious leaders who are working to restore faith in our election systems. Together, they’re sharing common protective practices through interviews and advertising, which, research shows, increases trust in election outcomes.

This is not to say that our election systems are perfect. There is always room for improvement, and election officials across the country are constantly working to modernize and strengthen the process. But in battleground states, including North Carolina and Pennsylvania, we can confidently say that voters should feel secure knowing that their voices will be heard and that every legitimate vote will be counted.

To read the op-ed in its entirety, click here.

For media inquiries, please contact cmaloney@blackrockgrp.com.