Declaring the results of statewide electoral contests in the 2020 general election to be in dispute, a group of Pennsylvania House Republican lawmakers has announced its intention to introduce a resolution calling for Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to withdraw their certification of the Nov. 3 election results in the presidential and other statewide contests.
Citing what they described as election law compromises, irregularities and improprieties associated with mail-in balloting, pre-canvassing, and canvassing, the 26 lawmakers stated in a news release issued late Friday afternoon the issues raised about the election have “undermined our elector process and as a result we cannot accept certification of the results in statewide races.”
The proposed resolution, if it gets introduced, has only a short life since the legislative session ends on Monday. All pending bills and resolutions will die at its conclusion.
A spokesman for House Speaker Bryan Cutler, a Lancaster County Republican, said Mr. Cutler was not involved in writing the resolution. Mr. Cutler also has not scheduled any session days to consider it before the session’s end.
A spokesman for House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Centre County Republican, repeated on Friday what his caucus leaders stated earlier: They are standing by tradition of the popular-vote winner in the presidential race getting the electors.
On Tuesday, Mr. Wolf certified the election results showing President-elect Joe Biden won the state by more than 81,000 votes. Other statewide races resulted in Republican Auditor General candidate Timothy DeFoor and Republican state Treasurer candidate Stacy Garrity as the winners of their races while Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro won his re-election bid as attorney general.