Why US election certification can't be blocked

+ humans infecting animals infecting humans US Edition - Today's top story: No, local election officials can't block certification of results -- there are plenty of legal safeguards [View in browser]( US Edition | 4 September 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [India mega-dam will have a mega-human impact]( - [Donald Trump and the power of ‘charisma’]( - [NFL Guardian Caps pit safety vs. visual appeal]( Lead story As the days shorten and the nights turn crisp, the presidential campaign has shifted into higher gear. And as voters look toward Election Day on Nov. 5, there’s worry growing that local election officials may try to subvert election results by refusing to certify them. After all, dozens of local officials across the country have tried to do that since the 2020 election. But, as Notre Dame election law scholar Derek Muller writes: “There isn’t one weird trick [to steal a presidential election](. And there are ample safeguards to ensure ballots are tabulated accurately and election results are certified in a timely manner.” Muller walks readers through the process of certifying the vote, “a simple and ministerial task” that doesn’t allow officials to use their personal discretion. If an election official or board refuses to certify an election, that refusal does not last long, he writes. Courts can step in. And since Congress passed the Electoral Count Reform Act in 2022, “the legal system is built to handle election officials who delay certification or refuse to certify results. No single election official or group of them can stymie an election.” [ [News about the issues and ideas of the campaign, not the horserace. Subscribe to our Politics Weekly newsletter.]( ] Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy A sign at a rally as the Board of State Canvassers voted on Nov. 23, 2020, to certify the 2020 election in Okemos, Mich. Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images [No, local election officials can’t block certification of results – there are plenty of legal safeguards]( Derek T. Muller, University of Notre Dame Concerns are mounting that some election officials might subvert the results of the 2024 presidential election by refusing to certify results. An election law expert says the law now prevents that. Politics + Society - [Trump’s die-hard support may be explained by one of his most misunderstood character traits – ‘charisma’]( Michael Scott Bryant, Bryant University Throughout modern history, charismatic leaders have shown their extraordinary ability to elicit devotion to themselves and their causes. Environment + Energy - [India’s new mega-dam will roil lives downstream with wild swings in water flow every day]( Parag Jyoti Saikia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The hydropower dam is part of a huge effort to boost India’s homegrown energy. But it will radically disrupt the lives and livelihoods of indigenous communities in the flood plains downstream. Science + Technology - [Humans infecting animals infecting humans − from COVID-19 to bird flu, preventing pandemics requires protecting all species]( Anna Fagre, Colorado State University; Sadie Jane Ryan, University of Florida Infectious diseases can spill over from animals to humans as well as spill back. Each cross-species transmission gives pathogens a chance to evolve and spread even further. - [Preparing for a pandemic that never came ended up setting off another − how an accidental virus release triggered 1977’s ‘Russian flu’]( Donald S. Burke, University of Pittsburgh An epidemiologist makes the case that a rush of research to stop a swine flu outbreak led to an accidental lab release of an extinct virus. Preparing for one pandemic triggered a different one. Arts + Culture - [New NFL helmet accessory reduces concussions − but players and fans may not be ready to embrace safety over swag]( Noah Cohan, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis For the first time, players will be permitted to wear Guardian Caps over their helmets during regular season games. Ethics + Religion - [How HIV/AIDS got its name − the words Americans used for the crisis were steeped in science, stigma and religious language]( Anthony Petro, Boston University The nascent LGBTQ+ rights movement and the Christian right each strongly shaped the early years of HIV/AIDS, a historian explains. Economy + Business - [‘Social profit orientation’ can help companies and nonprofits alike do more good in the world]( Leonard L. Berry, Texas A&M University; Lerzan Aksoy, Fordham University; Tracey Danaher, Monash University Generating financial returns, noble and important as that goal is, is no longer enough, 3 scholars of marketing argue. International - [Mobile phones are not linked to brain cancer, according to a major review of 28 years of research]( Sarah Loughran, University of Wollongong; Ken Karipidis, Monash University We now have the strongest evidence to date that radio waves from mobile phones are not a hazard to human health. Trending on site - [Domesticating horses had a huge impact on human society − new science rewrites where and when it first happened]( - [What is space made of? An astrophysics expert explains all the components – from radiation to dark matter – found in the vacuum of space]( - [5 lessons from ancient civilizations for keeping homes cool in hot, dry climates]( Today's graphic 📈 [EvNOAA's Atlantic hurricane season update in August still forecasts an active 2024, exceeding the 30-year average (1991-2020).]( From the story, [What is an Atlantic Niña? How La Niña’s smaller cousin could affect hurricane season]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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