GOP push for state election reviews mixed, but sows distrust

By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The push by Republicans to conduct partisan ballot reviews like the one that unfolded last year in Arizona has spread beyond battleground states disputed by former President Donald Trump. Lawmakers in GOP-dominated state legislative chambers are calling not only for another look at the 2020 presidential election but also the ability to question future contests. While most of the bills are unlikely to become law, the debate has been used to spread false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and further erode public confidence in elections. Meanwhile, some states are moving in the opposite direction. They want to create safeguards to protect ballots and voting machines from tampering while keeping ballots out of the hands of partisan actors.