Terminally Ill Elector: 'One Thing I Could Do While I Still Can'

OLYMPIA, WA — A terminally ill Washington elector's passionate plea in Olympia is being heard across the country.

On Monday, Washington's 12 electors gathered in Olympia and performed their duty, casting 12 votes for President-elect Joe Biden. The vote in Washington and across the country affirmed Biden's win over President Donald Trump, as the Democratic challenger won 306 Electoral College votes and Trump secured 232 votes.

While there was none of the confusion of 2016's "faithless elector" debacle, one moment has captured attention across America: terminally ill elector Jack Arends' plea to begin to continue rebuilding this country when he is gone.

"I was glad to do my duty, and rid our nation of a petty dictator," Arends said in an impassioned speech shortly after casting his vote for Biden. "Had [Trump] won a second term, there is no limit to the damage he could have done to the world."

In November, doctors told Arends that his condition was beyond treatment. The 64-year-old learned just days after he was told he had been selected as an elector that a heart valve problem was inoperable, according to The Everett Herald.

"It will be up to others to do the hardest work of rebuilding our nation, as my health is failing," Arends said. "It was important for me to do this one thing I could do, while I still can."

After his speech, Arends broke down into quiet sobs. Another elector could be seen comforting him.

"Thank you for your emotion, and I am so glad you are here, and we are with you," Secretary of State Kim Wyman told Arends as he wept. Wyman herself had given an emotionally charged speech earlier in the proceedings, stressing the importance of election confidence and integrity, and dismissing concerns that voter fraud had somehow altered the results.

"The ceremony and tradition of this meeting mark an end to one of the most contentious elections of our time and symbolize the foundation of our constitutional republic," Wyman said.

During the 2016 election, three of Washington's electors refused to vote for Hillary Clinton, despite the fact that she won the state's popular vote. Since then, Washington has passed a law requiring those "faithless electors" to follow the popular vote. As Arends noted in his speech, he would have cast his vote for Biden regardless.

"I did so enthusiastically — I did not need a law to tell me I had to do it," he said. "Today was a chance to begin the end of the Trump administration. I was glad to do my duty."

Now that the votes have been cast, the results are being sent to Congress as the next steps in the inauguration process are readied.