The 2024 presidential election is fast approaching, and concerns are mounting about the potential for chaos and violence in the aftermath, particularly if former President Donald Trump loses and attempts to challenge the results. However, legal experts say that any effort to derail the electoral process would face significant new barriers, making such attempts unlikely to succeed. Following the January 6 insurrection in 2021, Congress passed new electoral laws and measures to strengthen the integrity of the voting process.
These include more vigilance from state election officials and federal agencies determined to avoid a repeat of past violent incidents. “It’s very hard this time,” said Richard Hasen, an election expert and law professor at UCLA. Unlike in 2020, Trump is no longer the president and does not have the executive branch’s power at his disposal.
The bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 has further tightened the process of casting and counting electoral votes and made it more difficult for lawmakers to raise frivolous objections. Some pro-Trump groups have already seen their efforts to alter how votes are counted and certified fail, with judges rejecting these measures as illegal.
New barriers fortify electoral process
For example, Georgia’s Supreme Court recently rejected an effort by pro-Trump Republicans to introduce new election laws that would have delayed the certification process. State secretaries and attorneys general in key states like Pennsylvania and Arizona have pledged to take local governments to court to compel them to certify the election results if necessary. Last month, officials in three swing states – Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Wisconsin – affirmed their readiness to enforce election laws in court to ensure proper certification.
Despite legal barriers, Trump’s rhetoric raises concerns about possible post-election chaos and violence. Federal, state, and local officials are worried about the potential for armed groups to respond to his calls, similar to the events of January 6. The FBI, state election authorities, and local law enforcement are taking extensive measures to secure ballot counting and prevent any disruptions.
Plans include increased police presence and enhanced security at polling sites and vote tabulation centers. “I see the soft targets at risk,” said Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI assistant director. In conclusion, although Trump’s efforts to undermine the 2024 election could cause turmoil, the combination of new legal protections, greater state-level vigilance, and elaborate security preparations aims to ensure the integrity of the democratic process.
