As the presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump approaches its conclusion, questions arise regarding whether elected officials will accept the election outcome. WIRED contacted all members of the U.S. Congress to ascertain if they would accept the results as announced by the Associated Press (AP). The AP, a nonprofit cooperative, has traditionally been viewed as an authoritative source given the absence of a national election authority. This inquiry aimed to remain politically neutral, particularly since some local and state officials have suggested they may not certify the election results.
Constituents can search by zip code or state to find their congressional representative or senator’s stance on accepting the AP’s results. It’s important to note that some zip codes may not align with current congressional districts due to boundary changes over time.
The legislators’ responses are categorized into three groups: those who will accept the AP’s results, those who will not, and those who have not responded. This document will be updated as more responses are received and aims to provide the full context where possible. Some lawmakers may agree to accept the results only after state certification and not solely based on the AP’s call.
Lawmakers who signed the “Unity Commitment” in September, pledging to certify the results after exhausting all legal challenges, are noted. This information is also reflected if a lawmaker has previously committed to certifying the election results, as indicated by a USA Today poll conducted in mid-October.
This election is the first since the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, during which Trump supporters falsely claimed the election was stolen. In recent years, election denial has shifted from the fringe to gaining traction among significant figures in American politics. Former President Trump has indicated plans to contest this year’s results, and numerous Republican candidates have expressed skepticism about them. Senator JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, has stated he would not have certified the 2020 election without alternative pro-Trump electors.
Across the country, some election officials have delayed or refused to certify state and local election results. The 2024 election results have already garnered conspiracy theories, spread by election denial groups, the Trump campaign, and influential figures such as Elon Musk, the owner of X. Given Trump’s and his allies’ past attempts to contest election results, affirmations from elected officials that they will accept results declared by a neutral arbiter are crucial for voters preparing to vote.
This project was contributed to by Dell Cameron, Vittoria Elliott, Leah Feiger, David Gilbert, Makena Kelly, and Dhruv Mehrotra from WIRED.