WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Carlos Gimenez (FL-26) issued the following statement after the joint session of Congress certifying the 2020 election results for President and Vice President of the United States:

“After keeping an open mind, letting the arguments play out on the House floor, and weighing their merits, I objected to the certification of electors from states I believe violated Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution after their state-level executive officials bypassed electoral statutes passed by their state legislatures. Though I acknowledge my objections to these particular slates of electors would never have changed the outcome of the election, it is my duty as a Member of Congress to exercise Congressional oversight powers in order to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Congressional objections to slates of electors happen often, such as the certifications of the 2000, 2004, and 2016 elections. In the past, Members have used the election certification process to highlight voter irregularities, with House Democrats voting against certification of President George W. Bush’s win in Ohio in the 2004 election as an example.

This election has highlighted the need for many states across the country to undergo important electoral reforms to ensure elections at all levels are fair, secure, transparent, and efficient. Florida serves as a shining model for how elections should be run, drawing from the lessons learned from the 2000 presidential election. It is my hope that this Congress, along with local and state level election officials, do more to strengthen our electoral process and maintain voters’ faith in our democratic system.”

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