Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) voted to pass the Presidential Election Reform Act (H.R. 8873), which would reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887 to protect the rule of law and the integrity of presidential elections in the United States.

“It’s real simple: your vote counts and no one – elected official or otherwise – should be able to take it away,” said Congressman Norcross. “Free and fair elections are fundamental to the survival of democracy in the United States. The events of January 6 and subsequent efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election demonstrate the need for reforms that secure our elections. Regardless of which party wins, we must all respect the rule of law and conduct ourselves in a way that ensures the integrity of our democratic process. This bipartisan bill will help do that, and I’m proud to vote for it.”

The Presidential Election Reform Act helps protect the integrity of U.S. presidential elections by:

• Reaffirming the 12th Amendment by clarifying that the vice president has no authority or discretion to reject official state electoral slates; to delay the count in any material way; or to issue procedural rulings that have such an effect.
• Requiring objections by members of Congress to meet explicit constitutional requirements for candidate and elector eligibility, the 12th Amendment’s explicit requirements for electoral balloting, and be supported by one-third of each chamber to be entertained and a majority vote to be sustained.
• Requiring governors to transmit lawful election results to Congress and allowing presidential candidates to sue in federal court to ensure Congress receives the state’s lawful certificate.