Could Arkansas Alter Trump's Pathway To 270?
Could Arkansas Alter Trump's Pathway To 270?
EXCLUSIVE: Republican Party of Arkansas State Convention Chair Jennifer Lancaster speaks to South Arkansas Reckoning, Secretary of State John Thurston remains silent, RPA MIA
Major problems exist around the certification of Donald Trump’s Arkansas Electors for the November presidential election.
The deadline for Arkansas political parties to certify Electors for the 2024 presidential election is Sept. 15.
The document from the Republican state convention in June was signed by Joseph Wood, the chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas.
But Wood was not the chair of the state convention.
In that convention, the party voted for Lancaster to Chair the convention as well as to close the Republican primary among other changes. The party also voted for their slate of Electors to cast Arkansas’ six electoral votes in December.
The certification document is required to be filed two days after the closing of the state convention with the Secretary of State listing the electors.
In late July, the RPA called an executive committee meeting nullifying the will of the state convention delegates.
The Elector situation was not the focus of that July meeting, according to sources, although the wrong signature was already filed on the document at the Secretary of State's office.
Jennifer Lancaster, Convention Chair
Grassroots Patriots, a faction of Republicans who want change in the RPA leadership, overwhelmingly voted for Jennifer Lancaster to preside over the 2024 State Convention on June 8.
Lancaster did in fact preside over the convention. That's why her signature should be on the official certification of Trumps Electors, filed with Secretary of State John Thurston's office.
Thurston declined to comment.
The Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners told South Arkansas Reckoning to contact the Republican Party of Arkansas for answers regarding the validity of the document filed June 10 by Wood.
South Arkansas Reckoning called the RPA Thursday and left a message for Wood. He did not return the call. The RPA secretary gave South Arkansas Reckoning an email address to send questions.
We emailed Seth Mays, executive director of the RPA, with questions.