Watchdog group’s finding underscores concerns Trump and allies will attack in election certification in swing states

Nearly three dozen officials who have refused to certify elections since 2020 remain in office and will play a role in certifying the presidential vote in nearly every battleground state this fall, according to a new report by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew), a watchdog group.

The report underscores the concerns that Donald Trump and allies will attack the certification process at the local level as part of any possible effort to contest a loss in the election. In a presidential election, there are tight deadlines at the local, state and federal levels to certify the vote. Delaying the vote at the local level could cause states to miss deadlines and open up protracted court battles and give oxygen to conspiracy theories.

Concerns about certification also escalated this month when the state board of election in Georgia passed a new rule that allows local election officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” if they believe there is a discrepancy in the results.