BY DAVID HANSON AND RICHARD SKOLNIK

Many voters in the US, including some candidates in local elections, believe that the last presidential election was rigged and that Joe Biden is not the legitimately elected president of the United States.  They also deny that an insurrection took place at the Capital on January 6, 2021, whose aim was to subvert the peaceful transfer of presidential power as mandated by the US Constitution.  

 Yet, the facts of the matter are:  

• Joe Biden won the popular vote and the most electoral votes and, on December 14, 2020, the Electoral College named him the President-elect. 

• Dozens of court challenges to the 2020 presidential election results and ballot recounts failed to change the results of the election.  

• Hundreds of the January 6 rioters have been indicted, plead guilty, or have been convicted for their actions.

This widespread and active denial of the election results is poisoning our election system and undermines our democracy.  Candidates who refuse to accept the election results are running for offices that will oversee elections in their states.  Election poll workers have faced harassment and threats of violence and are resigning in record numbers, even in counties that Trump won with as much as 80% of the vote.  Political divisions in the US have grown, directly promoting the malicious goals of Russia and China to subvert our democratic government.  Closer to home, the election director in Torrance County is under fire for attempting to improperly certify ballot-counting equipment^*.

Some local candidates suggest that “national events” should have no bearing on our local elections. However, given the facts noted above and the lessons of history, it is imperative that we vote locally for people who accept the results of the last presidential election and who understand the threat posed to the nation by the events at the Capital of January 6, 2021.

We therefore call on every candidate in our local elections to publicly state their position on two critical questions: 

• Do you believe that Joe Biden is the legitimately elected President?

• Do you believe that an insurrection took place at the US Capital on January 6, 2021?

^*https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/santa-fe-northern-new-mexico/rural-new-mexico-county-seeks-removal-of-elections-clerk/

Cosignatories

Dan Coupland
Lauren Coupland
Galen Gisler
Meg Kremer
Ray Kremer
Andy Light
Linda Light
Tyler Jones
Chris Patterson
Kathy Patterson
Reid Priedhorsky
David Schiferl
Erin Tatge
Tyler Taylor