Time: Congressional Republicans Won't Overturn Biden's Win. But Their Objections Are Still Dangerous

By Alana Abramson

    Tomorrow, both chambers of Congress will convene to count the states' electoral votes and certify Joe Biden as the winner of the election. However, this year will be different. President Trump has refused to concede, and dozens of Republican lawmakers have said that there will be objections, although it's highly improbable that it will change the outcome.

"Most of the Republicans who plan to challenge the outcome have said their intention is to air allegations of rampant voter fraud. But those claims are not supported by evidence. Trump’s own Administration deemed the election the most secure in U.S. history. And since Election Day, Trump’s legal team has lost nearly all of its challenges to election results in court, with judges widely rejecting their allegations."

    As President of the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence will open envelopes with each state's electoral votes in alphabetical order. Tellers count the votes in each state before Pence declares a winner, and when Biden reaches 270, Pence will declare him the winner. As each vote is counted, lawmakers can object. In order to proceed, there must be a written objection from at least one member of each chamber. For each state in which this happens, there will be a two hour discussion period followed by a vote, which will almost certainly fail because Democrats control the House and enough Republican senators have said they will certify the votes to ensure a Biden win. Although several people have suggested it, Pence's role is largely ceremonial and he cannot change the outcome. Even if these objections fail, they can still undermine democracy.

"Election officials and politicians on both sides of the aisle argue that the GOP’s attempt to undermine the will of the voters subverts democratic norms and is antithetical to the country’s ideals. Former House Speaker Paul Ryan said the objections 'strike at the foundation of our republic.' House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney sent a 21-page memo to her colleagues alleging they they set a 'dangerous precedent' that undercut core conservative principles. Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska said his colleagues are allowing their political ambitions to supersede the values they pledged to represent."

    Several election officials have also said that there were no irregularities or illegal behavior during this election.