Hats Off to Election Officials
Because of Trump's lies about the 2020 election, and MAGA militancy, State and local election officials have been subjected to undeserved abuse. In some cases, the threats were severe enough to motivate some officials to walk away out of fear for their safety and that of their families.
Nevertheless, we're now just days away from Election Day, 2024 and the elections systems are intact. Replacement officials and volunteers have been recruited. While there might be a minor ripple here or there, early voting has gone smoothly in all states where it is done.
Knowing that Trump et al are likely to claim election fraud and other improprieties in 2024 (it has already started), elections officials have done everything they can to bulletproof their systems and stand prepared to defend themselves against false claims and attacks. Trump will try to undermine the credibility of the votes that defeat him, and, because of our well-prepared election officials, he will fail. He will fail because he tipped his hand in 2020. The elections officials know what to expect and how to defend against it.
I saw this personally when early voting in Florida. I walked into the polling place to place my mail-in ballot in the drop box that was staffed and secured inside that building. When a volunteer saw I was there not to vote in person but to deliver my ballot, he picked me out of line and escorted me to the drop box. There, another volunteer examined my envelope to make sure I had signed and dated it. She then stamped it twice, once to date it, and once to indicate the location of the drop box. With each stamp, she looked me in the eye and announced what she was doing. She then instructed me to drop my ballot in the box, which I did. She thanked me for voting and I thanked her for the good work she is doing. The next day, I checked online to verify that my vote had been received and counted, which it had.
I have voted in this manner in other elections. It has never before happened that my ballot was treated with such care, and I was given such guidance about how to properly cast my vote. All of my prior votes have been received and counted. This seemed like overkill to me, but given Trump's expected shenanigans, it is understandable. If Trump or any of his people try to question the validity of my vote, everyone in the ballot chain of custody will rise up to say the vote was proper.
I expect the same diligence is in place in all other counties and states. Our elections systems are in great shape going into Election Day. We have our brave elections officials and volunteers to thank for it.
My hat is off to you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your courage, and for the good work you are doing to protect American democracy.
