The state of upcoming November elections is at risk due to increased voter tension, mass departure of election staff due to harassment, and rising misinformation campaigns as per claims by the government oversight organization Common Cause recently. Significantly, this is slated to be the first presidential election since the Common Cause’s President, Virginia Kase Solomón, addressed reporters through a video conferencing call. The reference was about the efforts made by Republican affiliates in the previous election to question the legitimacy of the results. An escalation of such skepticism elevated following theories that were largely baseless, coupled with a subsequent obstruction of Congress’ result ratification on January 6, 2021.
While Solomón highlighted the impairment of election authenticity due to the incidents of 2020, she stopped short of explicitly naming President Trump who is set to represent the Republicans again. She stressed that experienced election staff was increasingly vacating their roles, unwilling to weather threats and harassment from individuals staunchly believing in election conspiracies. Moreover, the experts from Common Cause have pointed out the daunting task of managing advanced AI tools that are making the spread of disinformation faster and more undetectable.
Additionally, recently enacted laws like the one in Florida, which rolled out after the 2022 elections and entails a stop to automatic mail-in ballots, are likely to cause more confusion and potential voter suppression, the experts argued. Nevertheless, in its mission to shield election integrity, Common Cause is preparing for educational initiatives in the run-up to the highly anticipated political campaigns.
Physical confrontations related to politics are still few and far between, mentioned Suzanne Almeida, a director of state operations at Common Cause who also spearheads their efforts against political violence. However, the prevalence of threats, hostile language, doxing, and continued harassment paints a grim picture, according to Almeida.
The adverse ramification of this scenario is blatantly manifest in the state of election workers, as a recent study by the Brennan Center for Justice revealed. As per their findings, an alarming 38% of election workers have faced threats, and over half of local election officers fear for their safety. Almeida further elaborates how despite several studies, such as a recent one from UC-Davis demonstrates that voters from both political parties disapprove of violence, some individuals exploit such situations for increased voter engagement.
Modern day voting system is also majorly impacted by unintentional misinformation spread and deliberate efforts to misguide voters, according to Ishan Mehta, the director of Common Cause’s media and democracy program. Advancements and improvements in generative AI technology are inadvertently facilitating the creation and distribution of fraudulent campaign content, he critiques.
Amy Keith, the executive director of Common Cause Florida, points out the potential voter confusion resulting from the recent changes in the state’s election law and the possible disenfranchisement of certain voters. Keith reported that close to two million Floridians who had successfully opted for mail-in ballots in 2022 are set to be deprived of this voting method in the upcoming cycle.
The change came into effect after a law was passed subsequent to the 2022 election, making it compulsory for voters to submit new requests for mail-in ballots along with additional identification. In the lead up to the primary on August 20, Common Cause and its partner groups are planning a significant push to inform voters about the requirements for mail-in voting. Keith urged voters to understand that they could still cast their vote in-person even if they had requested a mail-in ballot.
Philip Hensley-Robin, the Executive Director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, expressed confidence that Election Day would be largely free from violence. However, he did anticipate isolated instances of political violence or intimidation. He also expressed his concerns about potential lawsuits filed with the intent to suppress votes and shatter public confidence in the electoral process, although he is confident that such cases will be promptly dismissed.
Kase Solomón from Common Cause further reiterated the importance of vigilance against misinformation and disinformation, particularly those aided by AI. She also warned the public to manage their expectations, as it is highly likely that the presidential race will end without a clear winner on Election Day. Such situations, she says, are often catalysts for conspiracy theories about election fraud.
Continuing, she promised that Common Cause would stay in close contact with election workers to understand their needs and offer support where needed. She impressed upon the public that in order to maintain a functioning democracy, one needs to take proactive steps.
While reflecting on the 2020 election, Solomón criticized the popular narrative that democracy had functioned as intended, pointing out that it had only been successful due to concerted effort. ‘We were forced to make sure that democracy held up, it did not happen naturally,’ she noted.
Common Cause Struggles with Trump’s Support and Growing Election Faith appeared first on Real News Now.
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