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You Vote: Should states, localities preserve 2020 election records past federal 22-month minimum?

Watchdog urges keeping records beyond what's required by federal law for potential legal defense.

Published: August 18, 2022 1:47pm

Updated: August 18, 2022 2:40pm

Phill Kline, director of the election integrity nonprofit the Amistad Project, told Just the News this week that records of the 2020 presidential election should be kept beyond the 22-month federal requirement in order to preserve evidence for potential civil or criminal trials.

According to federal law, states and localities must preserve federal election records for 22 months after the election.

Kline said preserving the records is important not only for investigating potential election fraud or irregularities but also because they're relevant to the legal defense of whistleblowers and election integrity watchdogs being prosecuted.

He cited "the unprecedented infusion of private money, and unprecedented, intentional violation of laws by certain election officials" and "the unwillingness of states to assist in understanding the impact" of the private funds to argue the records should be preserved until these issues are properly investigated.

Election records related to any litigation would be necessarily preserved in those cases. But what about all the other records in the possession of states and localities nationwide? Should they be kept past when they can legally be discarded? Here's your chance to weigh in:

Should states and localities preserve their 2020 presidential election records beyond the period of 22 months required by federal law?

Choices

 

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