Statement: Bipartisan National Council on Election Integrity says state legislatures must respect the will of the people

The bipartisan National Council on Election Integrity — a group of more than 40 former elected officials, former Cabinet secretaries, retired military officials, and civic leaders — issued the following statement about how electoral slates should be appointed:

“In America, we hold elections for the people to determine their elected leaders, and we must respect this process. No state legislature should override the will of the people by selecting electors for a candidate other than the one lawfully chosen by the voters in their state. That is illegal, and it’s simply not what we do in America. For more than a century, all 50 states have followed the democratic practice of appointing their electors based on the outcomes of elections. We are a nation of laws, and we must follow the law.”

The full list of members of the National Council on Election Integrity — which includes an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, as well as several retired military leaders and heads of civic organizations — is as follows:

1. former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright 
2. former Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA)
3. former Amb. Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL)
4. former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile
5. former Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D-MO) 
6. retired Gen. James Cartwright, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
7. former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
8. former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats (R-IN) 
9. former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA)
10. former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL)
11. former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD)
12. former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD)
13. former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), president of the American Constitution Society
14. former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN)
15. former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO)
16. former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R-KY) 
17. former Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-WI)
18. former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
19. former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-IN)
20. former Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA)
21. former Gov. Bill Haslam (R-TN) 
22. former Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
23. National Vote At Home Institute CEO Amber McReynolds
24. former Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta (D-CA)
25. former Rep. Susan Molinari (R-NY)
26. former Amb. Connie Morella (R-MD), co-chair of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus
27. National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial
28. UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía
29. Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, president of the Committee for Economic Development
30. former Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC)
31. former Rep. David Obey (D-WI)
32. retired Adm. Bill Owens, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
33. former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta (D-CA)
34. former Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH)
35. former Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH)
36. former Rep. Reid Ribble (R-WI)
37. former Gov. Tom Ridge (R-PA), former Secretary of Homeland Security
38. former Amb. Tim Roemer (D-IN), co-chair of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus
39. retired Adm. Michael Rogers, former director of the National Security Agency
40. former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar (D-CO)
41. former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele
42. former Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), co-chair of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus
43. former Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
44. former Sen. Tim Wirth (D-CO)