Electors cast Washington’s 12 votes for Biden

Washington’s 12 electors gathered in the state Senate chamber on Monday, where the few people present could spread out in this time of COVID.

Electors cast their ballots in alignment with last month’s election, where 57.97% of Washington voters chose President-elect Joe Biden.

“I’m pleased to announce that 12 votes have been cast for Joseph Biden for the office of President of the United States,” Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman announced.

“Today is the chance to begin the end of the Trump administration,” Elector Jack Arends said after the vote. “I was glad to do my duty and rid our nation of a petty dictator. Had he won a second term, there is no limit to the damage he could have done to the world.”

Moments later, he was overcome with emotion and put his head on the table.

In remarks before the vote, Wyman found her voice breaking as she spoke about electors stepping up to fulfill their responsibility.

Wyman later acknowledged there was something else on her mind.

An election official in Washington is the target of a death threat.

“We unfortunately have a group that is posting election officials personal addresses and homes on the internet with a sniper’s crosshairs on their pictures and it is not okay,” Wyman said.

Wyman said the matter is under investigation.

KIRO 7 has chosen not to name the official.

Wyman, a Republican, was joined by Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, in affirming the election was free and fair.

“There is no shame in losing an election. But there is shame in being sore losers,” Inslee said.

House Republican leader J.T. Wilcox and Senate Republican leader John Braun released a joint statement saying, “The harassment and threats to state election officials must stop. We categorically denounce these actions and any threats of political violence. We continue to have confidence in the 2020 election results in our state and the work of Secretary of State Kim Wyman and her staff over the last several years.”

Unlike Washington’s Electoral College ceremony four years ago, there were no so-called faithless electors on Monday.

In 2019, the legislature passed a law designating alternates in case anyone didn’t vote for the winner of the election in Washington.

Those alternates were present, but they were not needed.

Cox Media Group