President Donald Trump has all but outright waged war against the election process, particularly in key battleground states where the race between the candidates is tightening. In a year where more Americans have voted than at any point in history, various groups are contending with how best to protect the process as the president continues to cast doubt.
Among those fighting for the counting to continue is Robin Carnahan, former Democratic Missouri Secretary of State and current member of the National Council on Election Integrity. As the president sends conflicting messages about wanting to stop the count and keep it alive in different states, Carnhan said the president should respect the current process.
"Everybody's got a role in elections. Candidates do the campaigning, and voters do the voting, and election officials do the counting and they announce the results. That's the normal process, and that's what we're going through," she told Cheddar.
The National Council on Election Integrity is made up of former government and political leaders that, according to Carnahan, "want to ensure the legitimacy of our elections." The group has created the 'Count Every Vote' campaign that calls on people to use their power and demand that every vote be tabulated.
With ballots continuing to be tallied after a record-breaking election turnout alongside a record number of mail-in ballots due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea that the vote-by-mail process could be the new norm going forward is one that the former Missouri Secretary of State said is best for the country.
"Folks who've had the convenience of being able to vote-by-mail are going to want to have that going forward," Carnahan said.
While some people hold reservations about the validity of the counting process and whether or not fraud can be committed, Carnahan said counting rooms being monitored by both Republicans and Democrats should provide some comfort about the process not being tainted.
Israel bombarded Gaza early Friday, hitting areas in the south where Palestinians had been told to seek safety, and it began evacuating a sizable Israeli town in the north near the Lebanese border, the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil.
The Justice Department has secured a $9 million settlement with Ameris Bank over allegations that it avoided underwriting mortgages in predominately Black and Latino communities in Jacksonville, Florida, and discouraged people there from getting home loans.
Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes on Thursday, including in the south where Palestinians were told to take refuge, and the country's defense minister told ground troops to “be ready” to invade, though he didn’t say when.
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden has made his case for major U.S. backing of Ukraine and Israel in a time of war.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Thursday that inflation remains too high and that bringing it down to the Fed's target level will likely require a slower-growing economy and job market.
Despite deepening opposition, Rep. Jim Jordan is expected to try a third vote to become House speaker, even as his Republican colleagues are explicitly warning the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no more threats or promises can win over their support.
Donald Trump is winning over swing state voters including in several states even leaning toward President Joe Biden, according to a recent poll by Bloomberg and Morning Consult.
A Russian-American journalist working for a U.S. government-funded media company has been detained in Russia and charged with failing to register as a “foreign agent,” her employer said Thursday.
Lawyer Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to reduced charges Thursday over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election in Georgia, becoming the second defendant in the sprawling case to reach a deal with prosecutors.
Republican Rep. Jim Jordan failed again Wednesday on a crucial second ballot to become House speaker, the hard-fighting ally of Donald Trump losing even more GOP colleagues who refused to give him the the gavel.
