While expressing disappointment with the outcome of November’s presidential election, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso voted Wednesday to certify the results of the Electoral College vote that put former Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office.
Barrasso said he felt the Constitution outlines a process by which the states, not Congress, elect a president.
“Our founders entrusted the election of our president to the people, acting through the Electoral College, and not Congress,” Barrasso said in a statement. “The founding fathers wisely wanted each state, including low-population states like Wyoming, to have their voices heard and votes counted. The Constitution and federal law are clear that the power of Congress is limited to counting electoral votes submitted by the states.”
Barrasso said his vote to certify the Electoral College results follows what the Constitution dictates.
“In Wyoming, we pride ourselves on being guardians of the Constitution,” he said. “We must maintain that commitment as we protect and defend our Constitutional freedoms.”
The question of certification for Electoral College votes has led to a divide among members of Wyoming’s congressional delegation.
While Barrasso voted to certify the votes, U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis joined 10 colleagues in vowing to object to certification unless an emergency audit is conducted in states where questions have been raised about the legality of votes cast.
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney advised her fellow Republicans not to object to the Electoral College votes, voicing many of the same objections as Barrasso — primarily that if the objection stops certification of the votes, Congress will select the next president rather than the voters.
Barrasso said he has heard from people across Wyoming concerned about the outcome of the election and agreed that work needs to be done to fix improprieties in the election process.
“There is serious work that needs to be done to reform the election process and protect the integrity of ballots,” he said. “We should all be committed to that effort now.”
