Nevada's Fake Electors Face Court Date Over Forgery Charges

Judge Greenlights Forgery Case Against Alternate Electors

A significant legal hurdle has been cleared in a closely watched case, as a district court judge in the state capital ruled that felony charges against six individuals for their alleged roles in an alternate elector scheme will move forward. The decision comes after defense attorneys sought to have the charges dismissed.

Core Charges and the Judge's Rationale

The defendants are accused of offering a forged instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument. These are category C and D felonies, respectively. The judge's ruling determined that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence during a preliminary hearing to establish probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.

Central to the case is a document, titled "Certificate of the Votes of the 2020 Electors from Nevada," that was submitted to federal and state authorities. Prosecutors allege this document was a deliberate forgery, designed to falsely represent that the defendants were the state's legitimate presidential electors. The defense had argued the document was a protective, hypothetical measure and not intended to deceive, but the court found the evidence supported the state's theory of criminal intent.

The Alleged Scheme and its Aftermath

According to the state's investigation, the six individuals met and signed the contested certificate in December 2020. This document was then sent to the U.S. Senate and National Archives. The state's case contends this was a conscious attempt to create a false record and subvert the certified outcome of the state's presidential election.

Investigators highlighted that the certificate contained language and formatting nearly identical to the one submitted by the officially sanctioned Democratic electors, who were the rightful representatives following the certified popular vote. The defendants' document, however, listed their own names and purported to cast electoral votes for the Republican ticket.

What Happens Next in the Legal Process

With the judge's rejection of the dismissal motion, the case is now formally headed toward a trial in district court. The defendants have all pleaded not guilty. Legal experts following the case suggest that the judge's firm ruling on the sufficiency of the evidence indicates a challenging road ahead for the defense as proceedings continue. This case represents one of several similar legal actions unfolding in states across the country.

What do you think?

• Should individuals involved in creating and submitting alternate electoral certificates face criminal consequences, or were their actions protected political speech?


• Does prosecuting these cases strengthen faith in the electoral system, or risk further politicizing the justice system?


• Where is the line between legally challenging an election and illegally attempting to overturn its result?