“The problem with US elections isn’t that people are voting more than once, it is too many people are voting less than once!”

The goals of the 2020 election must be two-fold:

  • To provide the unhindered and easily accessible opportunity for every citizen to vote in the upcoming presidential, Congressional and local elections; and
  • To ensure the results of the election are fully and accurately counted and publicized.

Throughout our nation’s history, the transition of presidential power from one administration to another has been peaceful and taken for granted … despite many contentious campaigns and a sometimes sharply divided nation, most notably in the aftermath of the 1860 election where the issue of slavery lead to a Civil War.

Regrettably, President Trump refuses to commit to accepting the results of the 2020 election.  Clearly concerned he might be defeated, the president, without any prior or proforma evidence fumes the 2020 election “will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history.” 

Wonder how he’ll justify that statement if he actually wins?

Trump’s claims of massive fraudulent mail-in voting in 2016 are totally unsupported by any facts.  According to the conservative Heritage Foundation, over the past 20 years, out of some 250 million mail-in ballots cast there have been just over 1,200 documented cases of vote fraud of all sorts, less than one case per state every six years or about five times less likely than getting hit by lightning.

His rants that millions of mail-in ballots are already being distributed are utter nonsense as no state has yet even printed their 2020 ballots!

The president also insists the results must be made available on election evening.

While the media also loves to be able to “call” state and national results on election eve, it is infinitely more important to report accurate totals even if they might take a day or two, or even a week or more, to complete.

Compounding the issue are varying state requirements for when mail-in ballots must be received.   Logically, if having one’s income taxes postmarked by 11:59 PM on April 15th is the gold standard, there should be no reason that mail-in ballots should not be valid if postmarked on or before 11:59 PM on election day.  Even under today’s hybrid system, votes mailed in a timely manner but not received by some arbitrary date through no fault of the voter, must be counted.  Otherwise those voters are being unfairly disenfranchised of their constitutional right.

Also, why the rush?  The Electoral College, which actually elects the president, does not vote until the Monday after the second Wednesday in December; six weeks after election day.

As for the president threats to delay the election, that pesky document called the Constitution throws a monkey wrench in his potential power grab.  Members of Congress from both parties immediately took issue with his comments as only Congress, whom Trump frequently looks at as an obstacle to his authoritarian instincts, can reset the election date; which is highly unlikely and never been done before despite wars, pandemics, civil unrest or economic recessions.

Both Republicans and Democrats, if they truly believe free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, its institutions and our liberties must aggressively encourage and actively support making them as accessible as possible to all Americans.