In my years serving the people of Arizona and our nation in Congress, one principle has always guided my work: America’s strength flows directly from the consent of the governed. That consent is expressed through our elections — the cornerstone of our republic and the ultimate expression of the people’s will.
Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand how fiercely Americans cherish their right to vote and to choose their leaders. It’s what sets us apart from nations where power is seized, not earned. Our free elections are open, transparent, and fair. They are what binds us together as citizens, no matter our politics. Undermining faith in that process doesn’t just damage an election result. It shakes the very foundation of who we are as a nation.
I do not think anyone would argue: We live in challenging times. Public trust in institutions has eroded, and partisans on both sides are quick to use elections as weapons rather than as instruments of accountability. I have called my own side to account for such behavior. Recently, even President Obama made egregious claims that Republicans were trying to “rig the election” in California. Ironically, this is the same type of divisive language that people like him, who say they want to be the adults in the room, have complained about in the past.
There isn’t nearly enough space in just one piece of writing to highlight all the other related examples of this conduct. But I am confident in saying that, sadly, it seems the rhetoric of distrust has grown louder, and at times, dangerously so. Here’s what I also know: Questioning a process and its outcomes is not the same as tearing down the system itself. Constructive scrutiny, guided by facts and transparency, is healthy. Cynical attacks meant to delegitimize the process, especially without evidence, are not.
Let me be clear: Supporting election integrity does not mean undermining elections. It means investing in the systems and safeguards that make them strong, from secure ballot handling to transparent audits and modernized and clean voter rolls. It means ensuring that every eligible American can vote freely and that every legitimate vote is counted accurately. It means recognizing that confidence in the process is earned through openness, not outrage.
Our election administrators and the men and women who staff polling places, count ballots, and ensure every lawful vote is tallied, deserve our respect, not our suspicion. They are the quiet defenders of democracy, performing meticulous and often thankless work under extraordinary pressure. Every time we question their integrity without cause, we do a disservice not only to them, but to ourselves.
I’ve run for office many times; I’ve won some and I’ve lost some. Losing is never easy. But in America, we accept the results, we regroup, and we fight another day. That peaceful transfer of power is not a sign of weakness — it’s the greatest testament to our strength. It’s what generations of Americans have fought and died to preserve.
I’ve spent much of my life studying our founding documents and working to uphold them. The Constitution doesn’t belong to any party, and neither does democracy. Both require our vigilance and our humility. We can debate policies and politics all day long, but if we lose the ability to trust the process by which we govern ourselves, then we lose something far more precious than any election: We lose the Republic itself. To Ben Franklin’s point, when asked by Elizabeth Willing Powel, “Well, Doctor, what have we got — a Republic or a Monarchy,” he replied, “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”
That’s why I believe it’s imperative that we, as a nation, recommit ourselves to standing not only by our free elections, but by the administrators and personnel who run them, the laws that govern them, and the procedures that ensure their fairness is upheld.
Democracy isn’t self-sustaining. It demands our diligent care, our utmost respect, and our unyielding faith. We can and should work to improve our elections where needed, but we must never abandon belief in the process that makes government by the people possible.
I may no longer hold office, but I hold an unwavering belief in this truth: When Americans stand up for the integrity of their elections, they stand up for America itself.
Matt Salmon served as a U.S. Representative for Arizona and is a member of RightCount Arizona’s Leadership Advisory Council.
What True Election Integrity Looks Like
In my years serving the people of Arizona and our nation in Congress, one principle has always guided my work: America’s strength flows directly from the consent of the governed. That consent is expressed through our elections — the cornerstone of our republic and the ultimate expression of the people’s will.
Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand how fiercely Americans cherish their right to vote and to choose their leaders. It’s what sets us apart from nations where power is seized, not earned. Our free elections are open, transparent, and fair. They are what binds us together as citizens, no matter our politics. Undermining faith in that process doesn’t just damage an election result. It shakes the very foundation of who we are as a nation.
I do not think anyone would argue: We live in challenging times. Public trust in institutions has eroded, and partisans on both sides are quick to use elections as weapons rather than as instruments of accountability. I have called my own side to account for such behavior. Recently, even President Obama made egregious claims that Republicans were trying to “rig the election” in California. Ironically, this is the same type of divisive language that people like him, who say they want to be the adults in the room, have complained about in the past.
There isn’t nearly enough space in just one piece of writing to highlight all the other related examples of this conduct. But I am confident in saying that, sadly, it seems the rhetoric of distrust has grown louder, and at times, dangerously so. Here’s what I also know: Questioning a process and its outcomes is not the same as tearing down the system itself. Constructive scrutiny, guided by facts and transparency, is healthy. Cynical attacks meant to delegitimize the process, especially without evidence, are not.
Let me be clear: Supporting election integrity does not mean undermining elections. It means investing in the systems and safeguards that make them strong, from secure ballot handling to transparent audits and modernized and clean voter rolls. It means ensuring that every eligible American can vote freely and that every legitimate vote is counted accurately. It means recognizing that confidence in the process is earned through openness, not outrage.
Our election administrators and the men and women who staff polling places, count ballots, and ensure every lawful vote is tallied, deserve our respect, not our suspicion. They are the quiet defenders of democracy, performing meticulous and often thankless work under extraordinary pressure. Every time we question their integrity without cause, we do a disservice not only to them, but to ourselves.
I’ve run for office many times; I’ve won some and I’ve lost some. Losing is never easy. But in America, we accept the results, we regroup, and we fight another day. That peaceful transfer of power is not a sign of weakness — it’s the greatest testament to our strength. It’s what generations of Americans have fought and died to preserve.
I’ve spent much of my life studying our founding documents and working to uphold them. The Constitution doesn’t belong to any party, and neither does democracy. Both require our vigilance and our humility. We can debate policies and politics all day long, but if we lose the ability to trust the process by which we govern ourselves, then we lose something far more precious than any election: We lose the Republic itself. To Ben Franklin’s point, when asked by Elizabeth Willing Powel, “Well, Doctor, what have we got — a Republic or a Monarchy,” he replied, “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”
That’s why I believe it’s imperative that we, as a nation, recommit ourselves to standing not only by our free elections, but by the administrators and personnel who run them, the laws that govern them, and the procedures that ensure their fairness is upheld.
Democracy isn’t self-sustaining. It demands our diligent care, our utmost respect, and our unyielding faith. We can and should work to improve our elections where needed, but we must never abandon belief in the process that makes government by the people possible.
I may no longer hold office, but I hold an unwavering belief in this truth: When Americans stand up for the integrity of their elections, they stand up for America itself.
Matt Salmon served as a U.S. Representative for Arizona and is a member of RightCount Arizona’s Leadership Advisory Council.