Counting every vote is key for free and fair elections, says bipartisan National Council on Election Integrity

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s comments that it would be “inappropriate” to count votes after election night, the National Council on Election Integrity — a bipartisan group of more than 40 government, political, and civic leaders — issued the following statement:

“Our constitution and our state election laws require us to count every vote, including legally cast absentee votes. Because of an unprecedented number of absentee ballots this year, counting every vote is not likely to be concluded on election night. In some states, thorough vote counting can last weeks, even in the best of times. Every ballot cast in accordance with applicable laws must be counted — that’s the American way. All Americans, including the presidential candidates themselves, have a patriotic duty to be patient as election officials count the votes. Both candidates have a responsibility to remind the country that November 3 is the last day for votes to be cast — not the last day for votes to be counted.”

The National Council on Election Integrity — a bipartisan group of more than 40 government, political, and civic leaders who are devoted to defending the legitimacy of our elections — is a project of Issue One. The National Council on Election Integrity is sponsoring the Count Every Vote campaign to ensure that every American’s vote is counted. The full list of the more than 40 former elected officials, former Cabinet secretaries, retired military officials, and civic leaders who comprise the National Council on Election Integrity can be found online here.