Ensuring Election Integrity

Member Group : Jerry Shenk

After four years of bombarding America with unsubstantiated, ultimately-discredited blather about a “stolen” 2016 presidential election, and dragging a mediocre, shopworn lifer over the White House finish line, suddenly, Democrats and national media (forgive the redundancy) are characterizing questions about the results of Election 2020 as “treasonous.”

Their indignation is highly ironic considering the legitimate doubts about a multitude of eerily-similar, incredible – as in “not credible” – Election 2020 irregularities that took place in large, Democrat-controlled swing state cities.

Democrats’ top vs. down-ticket voting disparities alone raised questions: If Joe Biden actually won the presidency, how/why did so many down-ticket Democrats fare so poorly?

Why did all the statistical/mathematical/logical/digital/physical analyses of Biden votes in critical swing states suggest the possibility – in certain cases, the probability – of interference, manipulation and/or outright fraud?

Furthermore, why haven’t Democrats and their media subsidiaries offered any explanations more substantial than blanket fact-free denials? And why are they resisting efforts that could prove beyond a doubt that their guy won fairly?

America is unlikely to move on until everyone understands what happened last November.

In fact, a majority of voters believe that cheating affected the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

According to Rasmussen Reports, “Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans believe it is likely last year’s presidential election was affected by cheating, a view shared by 30% of Democrats and 51% of voters not affiliated with either major party.”

Imagine, nearly a third of Democrats believe cheating could have impacted the outcome, that Donald Trump actually won.

Viewing election integrity more broadly, there is far more at stake than the presidency. Because Democrats don’t win everything everywhere, honest elections should concern everyone. Democrats’ lack of interest in ensuring fair play only raises suspicions.

But, despite Democrat/media obstinacy, election integrity is finally getting the attention it deserves.

Maricopa County, Arizona, is nearing completion of a full forensic audit to address credible allegations of irregularities. Lawmakers from other states, including Pennsylvania, have traveled to Phoenix to observe and learn the process.

Georgia, where significant irregularities have already been documented, will conduct an audit. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and other states are considering one.

Democrats and media object, saying that Election 2020 has been “certified.” But, certifications don’t detect errors and illegalities. Audits do.

If Democrats were confident Biden won legitimately, they’d encourage audits.

At this point, though, it’s doubtful the outcome could be reversed, but, eventually, the truth of Election 2020 will emerge.

To restore public confidence, every state should conduct Election 2020 audits to identify/eliminate irregularities, then legislate reforms to ensure the future integrity of the election process upon which the American republic depends.

Despite the bad faith of Democrats and media who cynically mischaracterize election reform, including valid ID requirements, as “unprecedented, oppressive Jim Crow-era assaults on our democracy,” an ethnically-inclusive majority of Americans support reform.

Rasmussen: “Majorities of all racial groups – 59% of whites, 56% of blacks and 63% of other minority voters – say it is more important to make sure there is no cheating in elections than to make it easier to vote. Likewise, majorities of all racial groups – 64% of whites, 59% of blacks and 58% of other minority voters – reject the claim that voter ID laws discriminate against some voters.”

In other words, most Americans of all melanin levels want fair elections.

Sensible guidelines would make election integrity compatible with easier voting:

  • Eliminate early voting, but begin Election Day in-person voting hours on Saturday and continue through Tuesday.
  • Outlaw electronic voting. Require paper ballots, open counting and public reporting from polling precincts.
  • One person, one vote, one state, one precinct, in person, authenticated. Tighten provisional ballot rules.
  • Require photo ID.
  • Require periodic voter re-registration – four years? Six?
  • Cleanse voter rolls annually.
  • Ban unsolicited absentee ballot mailings and ballot harvesting.
  • Legitimate needs – military deployment, sickness, disability or travel – and ID must be shown to receive absentee ballots.
  • Absentee ballot signatures must match. Ballots received after Election Day cannot be counted.
  • Disqualify flawed ballots, including those lacking chain-of-custody evidence. No guessing “voter intent.”
  • Establish standards for triggering full or partial audits to discourage cheating.
  • Mandate serious consequences for cheaters and election officials’ derelictions.

Many/most European nations follow those or similar rules. All of Europe requires a photo ID to vote.

So should Pennsylvania – and all of America.

https://www.pottsmerc.com/opinion/jerry-shenk-ensuring-election-integrity-is-a-national-imperative/article_0629cb06-d2ad-11eb-a112-abf845db397b.html