You really have to admire the chutzpah of so many Republican candidates, who are saying– presumably with straight faces–that if they win their contests, the election was free and fair, but if they lose, it was rigged.
I guess that’s how you tell whether an election was fair: if you win. Somehow, I find that less than persuasive…..
The GOP has been working to undermine public confidence in election results for years–in Indiana, when loathsome Todd Rokita was Secretary of State, he ushered in the nation’s first voter ID law. Whatever you think of these laws–and I’ve not been shy about my own analysis–they send a message to voters: some people are casting fraudulent votes, so maybe the election results shouldn’t be trusted. Doubts persist despite the fact that numerous studies have determined that in-person vote fraud is vanishingly rare.
Trump’s “big lie” magnified accusations of impropriety, and in a perfect demonstration of projection (accusing the other guy of your own misdeeds), GOP candidates running for state offices with responsibilities for vote administration have all but trumpeted (sorry!) their intent to show Americans what rigging an election really looks like.
A report from the Washington Post focused on the threat, but the Post is far from the only media outlet sounding the warning.
In many states, the secretary of state is the chief elections official. It’s a crucial job, but not one that many Americans have heard of, much less paid attention to.
But secretary of state races are starting to get a lot more national attention and money. Former president Donald Trump and his allies have succeeded in boosting 2020 election deniers as candidates this primary season, and in many states, they’ve won the Republican nomination. That means, by next year, election deniers could be in charge of their states’ elections, including in key swing states for the 2024 presidential race.
Actually, as the article properly notes, it’s really hard to rig a national election in America because our election oversight is so decentralized. (That may be one of the very few virtues of state-level authority over the election process.) That said, there are “ways rogue secretaries of state could use their powers to throw a wrench in elections.”
They can follow Rokita’s example, and make it harder for people to cast ballots. Or they can change the procedures governing how votes are counted — like tightening restrictions on when mail-in ballots can arrive or what signatures are accepted.
They can also authorize endless audits and recounts.
There’s nothing wrong with checking results if there’s a dispute, said Trey Grayson, a former Republican secretary of state in Kentucky. But he and other election experts stress that endless audits don’t instill confidence in the democratic process; instead they allow bad actors to try to raise endless questions.
Rogue Secretaries of State can refuse to sign off on election results they don’t like, as a couple of officials did recently in New Mexico. At the very least, election-denying secretaries of state could publicly question election results, further eroding voter confidence and giving election deniers an air of legitimacy.
If enough election deniers get into office in time for the 2024 presidential election, experts worry they could together create enough chaos and confusion that they would weaken Americans’ faith in their government’s ability to hold free and fair elections.
The article identifies the states in which election deniers are currently running for positions that oversee elections. Indiana is one of them. Nevada, Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Minnesota, Michigan, Vermont, Maine and Connecticut are others. Obviously, in some of those states the denialist is unlikely to win–but in deep red states like Indiana, where few voters are even aware of who’s running in down ballot races, and where majorities routinely vote for anyone with an “R” by their name, there is a real likelihood that these conspiracy theorists will win.
A columnist for the Indianapolis Star called Diego Morales–the Republican candidate for Secretary of State–“broadly unacceptable” for a number of reasons. I absolutely agree–but I wonder how many Hoosier voters know what a Secretary of State does, let alone who is running for the office.
A few weeks ago, I urged readers to support Destiny Wells, the truly impressive Democrat running for Secretary of State. I’ll just repeat how I ended that post: It’s bad enough to live in a state governed by people who want to arm the entire population (okay, to be fair, just the White part), make LGBTQ+ folks second-class citizens, control women’s bodies, and make it easier for a pandemic to kill you. The last thing we need is a nutcase “Big Lie” proponent overseeing our elections.
Just Vote Blue No Matter Who……up and down the ballot.
I just completed my mail-in ballot, and smiled when I saw Destiny’s name.
The instructions say clearly (I was shocked) that a family member expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not electioneering; when I help ensure my quite elderly mother has completed her ballot and envelope correctly, I will be expressing a few such things.
“They can also authorize endless audits and recounts.
There’s nothing wrong with checking results if there’s a dispute, said Trey Grayson, a former Republican secretary of state in Kentucky. But he and other election experts stress that endless audits don’t instill confidence in the democratic process; instead they allow bad actors to try to raise endless questions.”
All the signs are there. Plus, the GOP have planted the seeds all over the country, as tfg has embraced all of the Q propaganda wholeheartedly to further fertilize the process for the cult. If the mid-terms go as I suspect, 2024 will be complete chaos.
A recent discussion with a friend (who is not in the cult) revealed just how confused a person can be who is reasonably intelligent but not actively involved in political discussions. The confusion was over whether or not she could vote for anyone in any party or if the only option was a straight vote by party. She stated that she had always voted in Presidential elections but wanted to vote in the midterm but was not well informed about even what offices were being contested and why they were important. It was disheartening to say the least
I have worked several elections and just want to add how impressively well run the vote centers are in my county, and presumably throughout Indiana.
Rs and Ds work together checking and double checking each other’s work assuring how there will not be any FRAUD.
While this county is reliably R, all workers are treated with respect (Democratic workers are like hen’s teeth here).
I have challenged election deniers to explain to me, a trusted worker who pledges an oath to uphold the Constitution before we even begin our day, how Hoosier elections can be fraudulent.
After these poor deluded souls’ blabbering attempts to quote Tucker Carlson-isms, I show them where they are mistaken and send them on their way.
It’s amazing that in a state that reliably votes R in all but 4 areas, they could be so douped.
But here we are.
#VoteDestinyWellsFor SecretaryOfState
“Bad Actors” = virtually every Republican trying to undermine the election process. Take Brian Kemp of Georgia – PLEASE! He ran for governor while still Georgia’s Sec.State. How’s that for corruption?
Since Republicans have NO civic or rational agenda that serves the vast majority of the people – never mind people of color or not Christian – they are compelled to cheat to maintain/gain power. But what are they gaining power over? MONEY! And who has the most to lose or win if Republicans are elected? Todd’s oligarchs.
It pains me to agree with Todd about those rants about the BIG money people, but after Citizens United v. FEC legalized graft in our politics, this current situation was inevitable. We aren’t that sophisticated, after all. Throw enough money around and the United States becomes just another banana republic steeped in corruption and graft. So, how did it come to this?
Well, 56% of polled American voters still think Republicans are better for the economy than Democrats. But the facts are that every time – EVERY TIME – Republicans have been in power, they have created economic crises of biblical proportions. Tea Pot Dome, The Great Depression, The 2007-08 near collapse are the high/lowlights of Republican economic operations. And yet…
We can all clutch our pearls and blame Trump for the great con job, but the Republicans have been conning the American people for decades dating back to the 19th century. Why? Because their donors and sponsors tell them to, that’s why.
Until Citizens United is overturned by rational people, we will be stuck in this downward spiral to democratic oblivion. Let’s hope we recover in time before the Constitution is completely shredded by the likes of Koch and all the Wall Street bankers.
Referencing JD’s comment – many people also don’t realize that they don’t have to vote for someone for every office on the ballot. This is particularly important if you don’t believe any candidates are qualified. The number of votes a candidate actually receives is important data.
In extremely red counties like mine that have very few, if any, Democrats on the ballot I may show up and vote for one or even no candidates.
Yes, it’s the oligarchy, just like in Ken Burn’s documentary. They control the politicians, the unions, and the media. They’ve been orchestrating right-wing fascists in every country they manage to keep the socialists quiet.
I just listened to Pete Buttegeig call Venezuela a “communist country.” Now, why would McKinsey Pete make such a false statement?
More on that later…
I don’t buy the Voter ID crap the Democratic Party plays – it’s pure identity politics. Everybody can obtain a state-issued ID or driver’s license. There is no excuse for not having one. Period.
The idea for Koch is to dispute the votes so that it becomes a legal matter for the courts, and guess who they have in their back pockets?
Indiana’s voter ID law replaced a system in which a person just signed a name next to an old signature and voted. Does anyone really believe that was a good system? Do people really believe that election officials have the training in handwriting analysis to determine whether signatures match? I deal with signatures every day as manager of a title insurance company. There is no consistency in signatures and they evolve over time. (My signature they had on file with the county board of voter registration when I voted was from when I was a teenager.) Democrats need to stop this knee jerk objection to photo ID and instead engage with Republican about which IDs should be accepted and whether there should be an affidavit backup for those who might not have their ID on election day.
I would add that Indiana’s photo ID has not led to decreased turnout. When you compare turnout numbers to the adult male population (which is the only way to do it as the number of registered voters in an area numbers fluctuate wildly depending on whether there has been a legally-mandated purge of non-voters) turnout actually increased in most elections.
As far as the Indiana Secretary of State goes, people can take solace in that the Indiana SOS has no real authority when it comes to running elections. County election boards and the Indiana Election Division (headed by bipartisan commissioners appointed by the Governor) run elections in Indiana. The Indiana SOS, although referred to as the chief election officer of the state in statutes, is simply a keeper of finance records and election results.
I may never say this again, but Todd is completely right … about the voter ID law. If you don’t have a driver’s license, the BMV will give you a FREE ID so you can do things like vote and get on an airplane. I was with my elderly mother when she got her free ID.
The Murdochs have made a great deal of money from telling Republican audiences, in order to make them loyal, that it’s critical no matter what, to defeat socialist (whatever that means) Democrats to save the country.
The message has even been received by Republican politicians who now believe that any election shenanigans, any campaign messages, and any behavior on their part, are within bounds for the same reason. The threat is so great that nothing is off of the table, and if they win they get lucrative employment and generous campaign donations from supporters listening to the same message.
It’s win, win, win, win.
Except for the country’s future.
Not everyone drives! My Mother quit driving at least 5 years ago. You force the elderly to quit driving so issue them a non-driver’s ID license free without having to go to the DMV! Come on. Think outside yourself. Handicapped people sometimes can’t drive, but they should be able to vote! The only fraud I see are from so called conservatives voting in FL and their home state.
Even voting from abroad (via email), I send a signature page with every vote. They check every freaking ballot. Stop the Lies!
Paul, not everyone knows they can get the free ID from the DMV, (I didn’t), and as AgingGirl pointed out, not everyone can get there. (They have to know about a service in order to avail themselves of it.) Your mother is lucky to have a son who knpws about the free ID and would take her to get it. Not everyone is so fortunate.
I’ve never regretted leaving Indiana, but I sure do wish I could still cast a “blue” ballot there. Instead, I will do that in Maine, where it’s critical that the ignorant clown Paul LePage be defeated in the governor’s election. Meanwhile, we will also be voting in upcoming local elections in British Columbia (we are dual citizens and have a home on Vancouver Island). Those of you who are nostalgic for elections where all citizens are encouraged to vote and where voting is facilitated will likely be jealous that: a) early voting here is easy; b) Election Day is a Saturday; c) same-day registration at the polls is possible; d) the public website with election information includes buttons that will immediately translate the page into either of two versions of Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, or French..
Todd – Careful with your McKinsey putdown of Mayor Pete. I, a slightly left of center Democrat, was once attempted to be recruited by McKinsey for an office in Bangkok while doing some international tax work in the Orient (where tax treaties may supplant our tax code), and with Piketty-like views, am hardly an apologist for capitalism without a conscience. I declined.
However, the system is what it is and we have to deal with it while agitating for reform for a system that recognizes and fairly rewards ALL of its players as well as those of the one percent, a change FDR’s New Deal had us headed toward before its final derailment by Reagan. GDP and other statistical artifices may tell us that we are a rich country but the policy problem is not that of wealth but rather its distribution and virtually tax-free inheritances as so aptly set forth in Piketty’s “Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century,” a read I recommend to readers of my contribution today.
Finally, it seems to me that the philosophical question is why in a liberal democracy we permit our socioeconomic system to be run by a dictatorial minority based on wealth, especially unearned (inherited) wealth. Have we been brainwashed with oligarchic propaganda, Todd?
To ABerger: You’re right. I’m jealous.
Gerald, if you’re saying Pete is “center-left, ” then he has no excuse to call Venezuela a communist country to explain why people are fleeing. He should own up to the US sanctions against Venezuela because they won’t accept a US puppet regime forcing the people to sellout their oil to Chevron.
As far as I can tell, he’s another CIA plant in government. His Nevada shenanigans in the Democratic presidential primary sealed it for me.
I can’t improve a single word he wrote, so I’ll just reprint Vern’s message today. Amen. It says it all. It often does.
“Bad Actors” = virtually every Republican trying to undermine the election process. Take Brian Kemp of Georgia – PLEASE! He ran for governor while still Georgia’s Sec.State. How’s that for corruption?
Since Republicans have NO civic or rational agenda that serves the vast majority of the people – never mind people of color or not Christian – they are compelled to cheat to maintain/gain power. But what are they gaining power over? MONEY! And who has the most to lose or win if Republicans are elected? Todd’s oligarchs.
It pains me to agree with Todd about those rants about the BIG money people, but after Citizens United v. FEC legalized graft in our politics, this current situation was inevitable. We aren’t that sophisticated, after all. Throw enough money around and the United States becomes just another banana republic steeped in corruption and graft. So, how did it come to this?
Well, 56% of polled American voters still think Republicans are better for the economy than Democrats. But the facts are that every time – EVERY TIME – Republicans have been in power, they have created economic crises of biblical proportions. Tea Pot Dome, The Great Depression, The 2007-08 near collapse are the high/lowlights of Republican economic operations. And yet…
We can all clutch our pearls and blame Trump for the great con job, but the Republicans have been conning the American people for decades dating back to the 19th century. Why? Because their donors and sponsors tell them to, that’s why.
Until Citizens United is overturned by rational people, we will be stuck in this downward spiral to democratic oblivion. Let’s hope we recover in time before the Constitution is completely shredded by the likes of Koch and all the Wall Street bankers.
SteveD,
Thanks for the nod. I write this stuff with an aching heart. It just eats me up to see my country destroy itself from within…just as Marx predicted unregulated capitalism would.
I’m glad I’m old.
AS ALWAYS: Sheila, you have The Best discussions on the ‘net –
I am pleased to see these views, as wide and contradictory as they are.
Crack Pots and The Wise make their mark herein – verbosity and negativism notwithstanding!