David Shafer

Role

David Shafer — Chairman, Georgia Republican Party (2019–2023); former Georgia state senator; organized the Dec. 14, 2020 meeting.

The Georgia elector certificate

David Shafer was one of 16 Georgia Republicans who met at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on December 14, 2020 and signed a document declaring themselves "the duly elected and qualified Electors" for President and Vice President from Georgia for Donald Trump and Mike Pence. The claim was false: Georgia's certified electoral votes, reflecting Joe Biden's certified win in the state, were cast by Georgia's Biden-Harris electors the same day. Georgia's document, like Arizona's, Michigan's, Nevada's, and Wisconsin's, contained no conditional or contingency language.

Legal proceedings

David Shafer was indicted on August 14, 2023 by a Fulton County grand jury under Georgia's RICO (racketeering) statute in connection with the elector certificate and broader efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 election result. On November 26, 2025, District Attorney pro tempore Peter Skandalakis dismissed (nolle prosequi) the remaining Fulton County RICO case, including the charges against this defendant, concluding the evidence did not support the charges. David Shafer was not convicted of any charge in this case.

On November 9, 2025, President Trump issued David Shafer a federal pardon covering offenses related to the 2020 election. This pardon covers federal exposure only and has no legal effect on Georgia state proceedings.

Connection to the incident

See 2020 Fake Elector Scheme for the coordinated multi-state effort and its intended use during the January 6, 2021 congressional electoral count.