Judge drops Nevada case against electors accused of forging 2020 election certificate

A Nevada judge has dismissed a lengthy case against six Republicans accused of forging a certificate that falsely declared Donald Trump the winner of the state's 2020 presidential election. The ruling marks another setback for efforts in swing states to prosecute fake electors who sought to keep Trump in office after his loss to Joe Biden in 2020.

Three similar cases in Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia have also been dismissed. In Nevada, the defendants, including Michael McDonald and Jesse Law, pleaded not guilty to charges of forgery and offering a false instrument for filing or record. The case centered on the defendants' intent behind submitting the certificate, with prosecutors alleging they intended for the documents to be mistaken for actual electoral votes that then-Vice President Mike Pence would count on January 6, 2021.

However, the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove the electors intended to deceive government officials and found the state failed to disclose exculpatory evidence to the grand jury. The defendants argue their actions were political theater meant to publicize their concerns about the election and that they had no intent to defraud.

Despite the dismissal, similar cases are ongoing in other states, and a federal case against Trump for conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election was dropped in late 2024 after Trump won re-election in 2024.