(Democracy Docket)—“I recently wrote that the Republican strategy for the 2024 election is to make it harder to vote and easier to cheat. At the intersection of Republican voter suppression and election subversion is the latest threat to free and fair elections — election vigilantism and voter challenges.
Tucked into Georgia’s massive anti-voting lawwas a provision to make it easier for partisan vigilantes to engage in mass voter challenges. As I wrote when the law passed in 2021, the portion allowing mass voter challenges was the worst provision of a very bad law. Last year, nearly 100,000 Georgia voters had their registrations, and thereby their right to vote, challenged by election vigilantes.
Now, some conservatives are trying to skirt those federal laws by outsourcing voter purges to third-party groups. By encouraging private individuals to challenge the voter registrations of people they have never met and do not know, GOP activists seek to evade the protections of federal law — creating an even greater risk of devastating consequences for voters.
The rise of election vigilantism is not new. Last year, armed vigilantes with video cameras staked out drop boxes in Arizona. There were voter challenges in Georgia and elsewhere. Last month, the New York State Board of Elections issued a warning that individuals were impersonating county board of elections staff “in an effort to intimidate voters based on inaccurate and misleading information.” Conservative donors and activists are building the tools, organizations and plans to disrupt the right to vote with the same fervor that Trump and his allies tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 6.”
Between MAGA morons cosplaying in swat gear, acting like minority bouncers at Democratic District voting locations throughout the Country. Along with organized mass voter challenges, you have a perfect storm for a sharp increase in election vigilantism cases. Organized, coordinated, and funded on behalf of Right Wing operative groups. Hoping to further disenfranchise communities of color, which in turn helps benefit Republican candidates.
See Republicans know how much smaller their base is than Democrats. So they’ll try every trick in the book to cheat or exploit some glaring loopholes. It’s a multi-pronged attack that involves gerrymandering, voter suppression laws, public voter challenges, and polling location intimidation. All intended to undermine the Democratic Coalition of Voters to shrink the widening gap between the two political parties.
Republicans now spend all their time, energy, and resources searching for ways to stop people from voting. Instead of focusing their attention on good policy issues that would expand their voting base. All because they have devolved into a political brand that is more concerned with maintaining political power than solving actual issues.
Sadly the best way to combat these attempts to invalidate your vote is incumbent upon each of us as individuals. We can’t assume that others will always be there to help make sure our voices are heard. However, we can all make sure that we are legally registered and have a plan in place to ensure your vote is cast. Whether you prefer to vote early, by mail, or in person, learn all pertinent local and state election laws in your area. If photo identification is required make sure that your documents are current and updated if necessary. If you are equipped with the correct knowledge and legal identifiers, and then follow all applicable procedures, you are the Right Wing’s worst enemy. This is a fight for democracy and the only way to protect our system from total collapse is to win through the Democratic process. Because once it’s gone it’ll take a much bloodier approach to get our democracy back.
Click the link below for the Democracy Docket article quoted in this column
https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/the-growing-threat-of-republican-election-vigilantes/
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