If Republicans lose in the midterm elections, President Donald Trump could pressure the House clerk to refuse to place Democrats on the chamber’s roll, leaving the GOP in the majority.

High gas prices, the war with Iran and President Donald Trump’s deteriorating poll numbers make Republican midterm losses increasingly likely. To overturn the elections, rather than provoking Americans by seizing ballots or stationing Immigration and Customs Enforcement at voting sites, Trump could deploy a subtler approach that exploits a little-known mechanism to block Democratic wins.

When Vice President Mike Pence refused to comply with Trump’s demand that he reject enough of Joe Biden’s electoral votes to overturn the 2020 election, chants of “Hang Mike Pence” rang out from the Capitol. The House clerk might confront a similar fate when the new Congress meets on Jan. 3.

Get Digital Access and Stay Informed With Trusted Local News.

Get Digital Access and Stay Informed With Trusted Local News.

The Office of the House Clerk is tasked with collecting election certificates for incoming members and placing their names on the roll so they can vote as representatives-elect. If the midterms go badly for Trump, he could pressure the clerk into leaving just enough Democrats off the roll to keep them from retaking the House.

Article continues below this ad

Even with the prospect that Republican election officials could prolong recounts, enabling Speaker Mike Johnson to delay seating a Democratic majority, using the clerk to block the transfer of power is also worth taking seriously. To prevent a recurrence of 2020, Congress updated the Electoral Count Act of 1887, formalizing that the vice........

© San Francisco Chronicle