politics
53 Candidates Questioning 2020 Results Seek Election Oversight Roles in 23 States
A new analysis identifies candidates who have denied past election results running for roles in certifying future elections in 23 states, including five swing states. The report, from States United Action, tracks 53 such candidates in statewide races this year. This comes amid ongoing concerns about election integrity following the 2020 presidential vote.
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Candidates who have denied election results are running for offices with direct roles in certifying future elections in 23 states, including five presidential swing states, according to a new analysis by States United Action. The analysis, shared exclusively with NPR ahead of its release, found at least 53 such candidates vying for statewide positions in the 2026 midterm cycle.
These positions include secretary of state, governor, or attorney general in 39 states holding elections this year for roles that interact with elections.
States United Action has been tracking candidate positions on the validity of election results since 2022. The group defines election-denying candidates as those meeting at least one of five criteria, such as falsely claiming President Trump was the rightful winner in 2020 or supporting efforts to undermine results after audits and legal challenges were completed.
In Georgia, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger declined President Trump's request to find 11,780 votes in 2020.
Georgia will elect a new secretary of state and governor in 2026, and candidates who have denied election results are currently in the running there. In Michigan, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson had armed protesters descend on her home in the weeks after the 2020 voting ended.
Michigan will also elect a new secretary of state and governor in 2026, with candidates who deny election results in the race.
In Arizona, candidates who deny election results are running for secretary of state, governor, and attorney general in 2026. In 2020, Arizona's Republican governor Doug Ducey faced pressure from President Trump to interfere in the certification process but declined to do so. Andy Biggs is the front-runner for the GOP nomination for governor in Arizona in 2026.
