Biden signs Electoral Count Reform Act closing January 6 loopholes

President Biden signs the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-328), updating the 1887 Electoral Count Act that Trump allies sought to exploit to prevent certification of Biden's 2020 election victory. The law clarifies that the vice president's role in certifying electoral votes is purely ceremonial and ministerial, with no power to reject or return electors. The law raises the threshold for objecting to electoral votes to one-fifth of each chamber. It also speeds up state certification deadlines and creates a court process to resolve disputes. The law represents the most notable election reform since the Help America Vote Act of 2002.