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2020 Fake Elector Scheme

Documented · 11/04/2020 – 01/06/2021

After Joe Biden was projected the winner of the 2020 presidential election, individuals connected to Donald Trump's campaign organized slates of Republican "electors" in seven states Biden won -- Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin -- who met on December 14, 2020, the day the states' certified electors met, and signed documents asserting the signers were the state's electors for Trump and Mike Pence. In Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, these documents asserted without qualification that the signers were the "duly elected and qualified" electors. In Pennsylvania and New Mexico, the documents instead used conditional language, certifying the vote only in the event a court later determined the Trump/Pence slate was legally entitled to the state's electoral votes. In total, 84 people signed these documents.

Trump campaign attorney Kenneth Chesebro authored memos, beginning with a proposal for Wisconsin, that were later generalized into the plan applied across the seven contested states. The documents were sent to the National Archives, the President of the Senate, and other federal officials. The January 6th Select Committee found the Republican National Committee, at Trump's request relayed through attorney John Eastman, helped coordinate the states' recruitment of electors.

In the days before January 6, 2021, Eastman and Trump pressed Vice President Mike Pence -- in meetings that included White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows -- to use his ceremonial role presiding over the joint session to reject or delay counting of the certified electors from the seven states in favor of the alternate slates, or to recognize the alternate slates outright. Pence, through his counsel and in his own public statements, rejected this theory as contrary to the Electoral Count Act and the Constitution, and Congress certified Biden's win after the Capitol was breached and the session resumed.

The scheme is documented in the January 6th Select Committee's final report (Chapters 3 and 5), in Special Counsel Jack Smith's federal indictment of Trump (dismissed without prejudice in November 2024 following Trump's election win, per Department of Justice policy against prosecuting a sitting president, without any finding on the case's merits) and Smith's subsequent final report to Congress (which stated the evidence was, in the office's assessment, sufficient to convict but for the election outcome), in Fulton County, Georgia's RICO indictment (dismissed by the district attorney pro tempore in November 2025 for insufficient evidence against the remaining defendants), and in state prosecutions in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada -- each of which ended in dismissal (Michigan, no appeal; Arizona and Nevada, dismissed with further proceedings possible) rather than conviction, except for one Arizona signer's guilty plea to a single misdemeanor.

Pennsylvania and Wisconsin brought no criminal charges against their certificate signers; Wisconsin's ten signers instead reached a civil consent judgment acknowledging the certificate had been used in an attempt to overturn the state's results.

In November 2025, President Trump issued federal pardons to dozens of people connected to the scheme, including many of the 84 signers and several of the lawyers involved; these pardons cover federal exposure only and do not affect separate state proceedings. As of this record's most recent review (September 2026), no participant in the scheme has been convicted of a felony after trial in any jurisdiction.

Relationships

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kelli Ward (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Michael Ward (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Jake Hoffman (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Anthony Kern (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Tyler Bowyer (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Nancy Cottle (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Jim Lamon (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Robert Montgomery (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Samuel Moorhead (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Loraine Pellegrino (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Gregory Safsten (Signer, Arizona Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — David Shafer (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Shawn Still (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Cathy Latham (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Burt Jones (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Brad Carver (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Joseph Brannan (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Ken Carroll (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Vikki Townsend Consiglio (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — John Downey (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Mark Amick (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Meshawn Maddock (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kathy Berden (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Marian Sheridan (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kent Vanderwood (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Stanley Grot (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Amy Facchinello (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Mari-Ann Henry (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Charlie Gerow (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kevin Harley (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Bill Bachenberg (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Lou Barletta (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Tom Carroll (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Ted Christian (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Chuck Coccodrilli (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Bernadette Comfort (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Sam DeMarco III (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Marcela Diaz-Myers (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Christie DiEsposti (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Josephine Ferro (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Leah Hoopes (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Ash Khare (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Durward Hindle III (Signer, Nevada Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Carolyn Hall Fisher (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kay Godwin (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — David Hanna (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Mark Hennessy (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Daryl Moody (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — C.B. Yadav (Signer, Georgia Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Michele Lundgren (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Clifford Frost (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — John Haggard (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Timothy King (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Rose Rook (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Mayra Rodriguez (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Hank Choate (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Ken Thompson (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — James Renner (Signer, Michigan Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Deborah W. Maestas (Signer, New Mexico Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Jewll Powdrell (Signer, New Mexico Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Lupe Garcia (Signer, New Mexico Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Rosie Tripp (Signer, New Mexico Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Anissa Ford-Tinnin (Signer, New Mexico Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Michael J. McDonald (Signer, Nevada Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — James DeGraffenreid (Signer, Nevada Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Jesse Law (Signer, Nevada Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Shawn Meehan (Signer, Nevada Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Eileen Rice (Signer, Nevada Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Andre McCoy (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Lisa Patton (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Pat Poprik (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Andy Reilly (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Suk Smith (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Calvin Tucker (Signer, Pennsylvania Trump elector certificate (conditional, Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Andrew Hitt (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Robert Spindell Jr. (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Bill Feehan (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kelly Ruh (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Kathy Kiernan (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Carol Brunner (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Edward Scott Grabins (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Darryl Carlson (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Pam Travis (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Mary Buestrin (Signer, Wisconsin Trump elector certificate (Dec. 14, 2020))

12/14/2020

Confirmed Associated with incident — Donald J. Trump (Central figure, per January 6th Select Committee and DOJ special counsel findings)

11/04/2020