Several secretary of state candidates who questioned the results of the 2020 election are projected to win and lead their respective states’ elections.
Despite repeated claims of fraud by supporters of President Donald Trump, those claims have not been substantiated in court.
Among the candidates, Alabama’s Wes Allen, Indiana’s Diego Morales and South Dakota’s Monae Johnson won their respective races. In all three states, the secretary of state serves as the chief election official.
Several others, notably Minnesota’s Kim Crockett and Michigan’s Kristina Karamo, are projected to fall in the election.
Allen supported a motion by officials in Texas to sue four states over “voting irregularities” in the 2020 election.
Morales said that the 2020 election was “tainted.”
Johnson refused to acknowledge Biden’s win in an interview.
“I’m not going to acknowledge that,” Johnson said.
While their duties vary based on the state, in most states, secretaries of state serve as the administrator of elections. According to the National Association of Secretaries of State, the secretary of state acts as the chief election official in 40 states. In several of these states, the secretary of state is appointed to the job.
“Secretaries of state actively promote resources available to assist voters, including but not limited to: voter registration information, state voting procedures and requirements, state guidelines for reporting and responding to voting issues and irregularities, as well as sharing information on the reporting and certification of election results,” the National Association of Secretaries of State said.
During the 2020 election, the role of secretary of state played a larger role. As supporters of President Donald Trump clashed with police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office was evacuated as there were reports of armed militia members outside of Brad Raffensperger’s office
Raffensperger faced pressure from Trump in a phone call shortly after the 2020 election in hopes of swaying the election.