The Election Fairness Institute (EFI) Is “A 501(C)(3) Non-Profit Public Interest Research Organization Engaged In Election Process Analysis And Publication Of Research For The Purpose Of Advancing Transparent, Secure And Fair Elections, Free Of Special Interest Influence.” “The Election Fairness Institute, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public interest research organization engaged in election process analysis and publication of research for the purpose of advancing transparent, secure and fair elections, free of special interest influence.” [Election Fairness Institute, accessed 8/25/23]
In 2018, The Organization Was Created By Mark Finchem, Who Is Listed As The Statutory Agent. [Arizona Corporation Commission, accessed 8/31/23]
Finchem Is An Election Denier, Who “Was Among A Host Of GOP Candidates For Statewide Office Who Have Repeatedly Cast Doubt Over Joe Biden’s Presidential Victory Or Falsely Claimed That The 2020 Election Was Stolen.” “Finchem was among a host of GOP candidates for statewide office who have repeatedly cast doubt over Joe Biden’s presidential victory or falsely claimed that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump in Arizona. Last year, Trump backed Finchem's candidacy and highlighted his record of defending the stolen election claims. “Mark was willing to say what few others had the courage to say” about the 2020 election, Trump said in offering his public support.” [NBC News, 11/11/22]
Finchem Has Embraced Broad Conspiracy Theories Such As That “Marxists Conspired To Manipulate The 2020 Election, That People Voted With ‘software That Flips Votes,’ That Mr. Biden Is ‘a Fraudulent President.’” “Mr. Finchem limits his media appearances largely to right-wing talk shows; he is a frequent guest on the podcast of the former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon. His embrace of conspiracy theories is expansive. He argues that Marxists conspired to manipulate the 2020 election, that people voted with ‘software that flips votes,’ that Mr. Biden is ‘a fraudulent president.’ The Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol ‘was a setup,’ he said. ‘The whole thing was a setup.’” [The New York Times, 8/1/22]
The Election Fairness Institute’s Website Lists Mark Finchem, Heather Hobbs, And Seth Keshel Under Leadership.
The Election Fairness Institute’s States Mission Is “To Support Strict Compliance With The Law.” “It is the mission of EFI to support strict compliance with the law, for if anything else stands, then the Body Politic becomes a sloppy society reliant on opinion and feelings instead of the black letter of the law.” [Election Fairness Institute, accessed 8/25/23]
EFI Focuses On Doing A “Post Mortem Evaluation” Of Elections Primarily At The State And Federal Levels. “The work product published by EFI will focus on post mortem evaluation of contests primarily at the state and federal level, and not the politics of contests, but rather that which is unseen.” [Election Fairness Institute, accessed 8/28/23]
EFI Has Five Top Priorities That The Organization Seeks To Address — They Seek To Conduct Research And Support Litigation; Take A Supply-Chain Approach To Ballot Handling Process Design; Examine The “Black Box Ballot Tabulation” Machines; Provide Support For Election Day Voting, Hand Count And Count Where Cast Process; And Analyze Why Rank-Choice Voting Is A “Threat” To Voters. “Conduct research and support litigation against cartel money-laundering in American elections. Supply-chain approach to ballot handling process design to ensure audibility and chain of custody including paper ballots with currency-grade watermark technology. Relentless examination of ‘black box ballot tabulation’ machines, comparative analysis between tabulation record and paper ballots, and the improbability of accuracy. Support for Election Day Voting, Hand Count and Count Where Cast (CWC) process. Analysis showing why Rank Choice Voting (RCV) is a threat to every voters voice at the polls.” [Election Fairness Institute, accessed 8/28/23]
Votebeat: “[The Election Fairness Institute] Posts Untrue Statements About Elections On Its Website” And Says EFI “Will Rely On Researchers Who Have Become Known For Spreading False Claims Of Widespread Election Fraud.” “Votebeat found that Stevens is a director of a Finchem-run nonprofit now called the Election Fairness Institute. It posts untrue statements about elections on its website and says it will rely on researchers who have become known for spreading false claims of widespread election fraud.” [Votebeat, 2/7/23]
The Election Fairness Institute Recently Changed Their Name And Will Focus On “Looking At The Relationships Between People And Defects In The Elections Process.” “Recently, the nonprofit changed its name to Election Fairness Institute. Republican state Sen. Sonny Borrelli and state Rep. Leo Biasiucci were added as directors. Finchem said it will focus on looking at the relationships between people and defects in the elections process. He did not elaborate further.” [Votebeat, 2/7/23]
EFI Has “Numerous Posts That Repeat False Claims About 2022 Elections.” “The current website has numerous posts that repeat false claims about 2022 elections, including one headline that says, ‘10 Million Mail Ballots Unaccounted for in Nov. Midterms.’ It says the organization will rely on research from Seth Keshel, an activist who has repeatedly made unfounded claims that his analysis of election data proves fraud.” [Votebeat, 2/7/23]
David Stevens Was A Director Of A Mark Finchem-Run Nonprofit Called The Election Fairness Institute. “Since 2018, Stevens has been listed as a director for a nonprofit Finchem runs. He said he serves in a consulting role and has not yet been paid for any work he has done for the nonprofit.” [AZ Mirror, 2/7/23]