Rick Scott files ‘Save Democracy Act’ with other election certification objectors

Rick Scott Senate fox
Scott voted against the certification of Pennsylvania's electors.

Sen. Rick Scott and other Republicans who voted against the certification of various states’ electors in the 2020 presidential election teamed up on a new bill that purportedly will “save democracy” from “confusion and chaos” that he claimed was seen in the 2020 vote.

According to a news release from Scott’s office, the Save Democracy Act would “improve our election system and restore confidence in our nation’s democracy” with national standards and guidelines to “safeguard the accuracy and integrity of our election system and prevent fraud.”

Two of the bill’s co-sponsors, Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Cynthia Lummis, objected along with Scott to the certification of Pennsylvania’s slate of electors on Jan. 6, even after the Capitol riots perpetrated by people trying to stop that process. Hyde-Smith also objected to Arizona’s slate.

Scott says that if people don’t have “confidence in their elections,” then they “don’t have a true democracy.”

“What we saw this past election was confusion and chaos caused by inconsistent standards and last-minute changes to established election laws by state officials and activist judges. It’s now more clear than ever that there is a serious need for major reforms to our election systems,” Scott said.

The bill would make several changes, including blocking automatic voter registration for federal elections, eliminating drop boxes for ballots, restricting vote-by-mail ballots to specific voter requests only, and ending the collection of mail ballots by Election Night.

Scott, the new chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has gone on record saying he was “comfortable” with his vote against Pennsylvania’s electors.

“What’s important to me is election integrity,” Scott said in a radio interview in January. “They didn’t follow their own laws, and I’m fed up with that.”

Scott has also said that his vote against the Keystone State slate didn’t matter, as President Joe Biden would have won even if those electors were tossed.

“My vote objecting to Pennsylvania’s process wasn’t about the 2020 election. It would not have changed the outcome,” Scott wrote on Jan. 20. “My vote was about elections to come, in 2022, 2024 and beyond, and seeing that they are conducted fairly.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


4 comments

  • Tjb

    February 25, 2021 at 4:33 pm

    Would like to have more details on this legislation. Afraid that voters suppression could be a part of the bill. Voters suppression doesn’t create confidence in democracy.

  • Sonja Fitch

    February 26, 2021 at 4:00 pm

    Nazi Rick willingly pushed.voter suppression. The former prez better watch out. Old Nazi Rick is really running for President. Just enjoying watching Nazi Rick show off . Lol VoteBlue in 2022!

  • Ocean Joe

    February 27, 2021 at 11:03 am

    People will never have confidence in our elections as long as leaders of one party willingly echo the still unsubstantiated claims of one sore loser. All documentary evidence supporting the 59 election lawsuits which were rejected by the courts, including by GOP appointed judges should be made public, IF ANY SUCH SUPPORTING EVIDENCE EXISTS. So far, a private corporation, Dominion Voting Systems, is offering the best proof in the form of civil actions against the loudest of those making false claims.
    Making things up and calling what you don’t like “fake news” or a hoax is no way to run a country, but it was a great way to stir the pot and divide everyone.

  • Beth

    February 27, 2021 at 12:24 pm

    Scott is a criminal who committed Medicare fraud. He supports a corrupt racist sexist creep who bragged about being a sexual predator. He helped spread the big lie and supported the murderous coup attempt at our capitol. Scott does not care about FL or the US. He cares only about money. He is another disgusting example of what the gop has become. Nothing he suggests is for our benefit, only his.

Comments are closed.


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