Sen. Rick Scott Introduces Legislation Prohibiting Mail-In Ballots From Being Counted More Than 24 Hours After Election Day

Quote:Senator Rick Scott has introduced legislation establishing federal rules for counting votes, which would require all mail-in ballots to be tallied within 24 hours of Election Day.

The bill is an amendment to the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

Known as the Verifiable, Orderly, & Timely Election Results (VOTER) Act, it would require precincts to report the total number of in-person and mail-in ballots they have received one hour after polls close.

Federal standards, the legislation reads, would “ensure a secure, uniform, and timely system to cast a mail-in ballot.”

It also states, “All ballots validly cast in an election for Federal office shall be counted and reported within 24 hours after the conclusion of voting on the date of the election.”

Quote:Scott’s legislation appears to be designed to prevent states from enacting random and arbitrary deadlines that would allow mail-in ballots to trickle in well after Election Day.

Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that mail-in ballots can be counted up to three days after the election.

Lawyers for top Republicans in the Pennsylvania state Senate have requested that the Supreme Court step in to overturn the ruling.

“The standards for mail-in voting vary widely across the country, causing confusion and a distrust in the system,” Senator Scott said in a statement.

“We need standards nationwide to ensure voters decide the outcomes of elections – not the courts,” he added. “We can’t wait weeks or months to find out the results of this election or any election in our future.”

Scott accused Democrats of pushing mail-in voting and changing election laws as a means to “eliminate standards that protect against fraud.”

In Wisconsin, another key swing state in which Democrats and their allies attempted to extend the deadline to count votes, Republicans have received a bit of good news.

On Sunday, a federal appeals court temporarily halted an extension of six days for counting absentee ballots.

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It will never pass the House. I'm not sure what the angle is here.

Oh I agree it won't pass the house. But the angle is pretty clear - a clear set of standards for an election for Federal offices. Get the dems on record as opposing it.

If your state wants to screw with rules for your own statewide elections not involving Federal offices, go for it. But, to avoid the chaos scenario the dems are planning, by creating counting chaos, different rules for which ballots can be accepted when, which can be disqualified, etc. one set of rules should apply nationwide.

(09-29-2020 04:24 PM)MileHighBronco Wrote:  Oh I agree it won't pass the house. But the angle is pretty clear - a clear set of standards for an election for Federal offices. Get the dems on record as opposing it.

If your state wants to screw with rules for your own statewide elections not involving Federal offices, go for it. But, to avoid the chaos scenario the dems are planning, by creating counting chaos, different rules for which ballots can be accepted when, which can be disqualified, etc. one set of rules should apply nationwide.

I'm all for this. Put the Dems on record! (It still won't change any minds. Well, those that were already made up, anyway.)