Here’s How this is Going to Go…
OK, kids, the game plan is now as obvious as my pointy toed cowboy boots on the beach. The Texas GOP’s voter suppression efforts are now in overdrive, throwing up lawsuit after lawsuit (led by Abbott and Paxton) to stop drive-in voting, and eliminate thousands of mail in ballot drop boxes around the state. And, this is happening all over the country. Why, you ask? Here’s why.
It’s become clear that Republicans have now realized that, even with their usual voter suppression tactics (removing polling locations, strict ID laws, complex and confusing mail-in ballot procedures, shifting times and places for early voting, etc.) are not going to be enough to eek out a win. Turnout in 2018, and now in 2020 is unprecedented. There well over 1 million more voter registrations this year than in 2016. Biden is leading nationally by double digits and in all of the battleground states, though by only a few points in NC and FL. The normal point shaving that is a trademark Republican tactic won’t be enough.
So, the new tactic? Attempting to invalidate millions of votes. It started last June when Trump’s new Postmaster General started sabotaging the Post Office by eliminating overtime, removing hundreds of mail sorting machines from primarily Democratic districts, and issuing ominous warnings to states that the Post Office my not be able to deliver mail-in ballots on time. It’s now moved to the courts, starting with Abbott’s order to eliminate all but one mail-in ballot dropbox per county. That order is now winding through the courts with Paxton leading the way. NOW, Republicans have sued counties that have implemented drive through voting, calling all votes obtained with that method as “illegal”.
So here’s how it’s going to go – because of the huge turnout, Biden has a chance to win Texas by a narrow margin. That win will be challenged by Republicans claiming that votes delivered to drop boxes and votes through drive in voting locations are “illegal” and therefore invalid. They will seek to invalidate MILLIONS of votes to keep Texas in the red column for Trump. Why? Texas has 38 electoral votes. If Biden wins Texas, it’s game over for Trump, and that could happen on election night.
That is what Republicans are trying to stop. Even though I’m eligible to vote by mail, I’m going to drag my happy ass down to a polling location to vote in person. I’ll do that with a big middle finger to Abbott and the rest of the criminals enabling him.
I’m doing likewise. Next year I’ll be retiring to Texas for family. Now, I’m still registered in Louisiana. Because of that same family who have put me up while recovering from surgery, I’m traveling to Louisiana Friday to vote on the first day of early voting. If they counted mail in ballots early I would have sent the ballot I received a month ago. BUT, Louisiana doesn’t count those til Election Day. I’m not taking that chance with these asshats in power.
1This old CT Democrat is going to vote in person as well. I have real doubts my signature on a mail-in ballot will even slightly resemble that of 40 some years ago when I first registered here. I’ll arrive early (thinking about investing in Depends…shh this is between us), wearing gloves, probably 2 masks, carrying hand sanitizer and wipes in a baggie, my own mini-sharpie and a spare, and will VOTE. That’s my plan.
2This is the why of Barrett. The how is when she takes her seat on SCOTUS, Orange Peel will call on it to invalidate the election entirely. He calls on the court a lot. The deciding vote will be a solemn and monstrous event. Probably setting the first precedent for ending elections altogether.
3PS. Thats when the shootin’ starts.
4Who is paying for all these lawsuits brought to keep citizens from voting?
5Mostly out-of-state billion-airs, be my guess. Maybe a few of AButt’s relatives.
6Jefe, I decided to vote in person after my first request for a mail-in ballot was denied. They said I didn’t give my DOB on the request form. The instructions didn’t say to put it in, and I don’t recall seeing a line anyways. Turns out itwasn’t sent to me by the state, but by some get-out-the-vote org from another state.
I think it was a scam. This is in Ohio, btw,
7Sheldon Whitehouse’s new video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjcXVKg43qY&feature=emb_logo
8The infernal-net has many stories of your results #3.
9Something similar happened to me in NC. Got the request-filled – sent back. But then later received another form because all of sudden it was illegal to use correctly prefilled forms.
The next time some glassbowl from Texas says that DC doesn’t deserve statehood because . . . pick something . . . I’m gonna punch ’em. I got my ballot in the mail automatically, put it in the mailbox, and tracked it. It’s been received and accepted. Easy peasy.
10Same for this old biddy and her mate in NC – Early voting starts tomorrow, but we’ll wait ’til Friday for shorter lines. Masks and alcohol wipes and our own black ball point pens (sharpies don’t work for our machines).
One thing – absentee ballots here are counted as they come in, though not reported until Election night; but our mail goes off the mountain before it comes back for delivery, and Greensboro (which is where DeJoy lives, btw) has had sorting machines removed…our mail can wind up anywhere in the country for WEEKS.
11Alabama does not have early voting, and the reasons for requesting an absentee ballot are extremely limited. However, the pandemic is now allowed as a reason. But you have to send in a copy of your ID and it has to be witnessed. I’m voting in person and praying that Doug Jones can hang on to his Senate seat and Tommy Tubberville will not be our next embarrassing politician.
12I just keep on being lucky.
1] Before Covid ever hit, I had already been a hermit for years and years. So lock-down has been a piece of cake for me. I’ve left my house 4 times since March 4th.
2] I live in a state [Florida] where no-excuse mail-in voting has been around since long before I moved here. It’s practiced by both D’s and R’s and has always been. So I filled out my ballot this week and it’s sitting on the desk waiting to go out.
13Leaving it on my porch seems risky so I’m planning on catching my mail-man [if I can, I’ve tried twice now and failed] to hand it directly to him. Failing that, I’ll uber to the library when drop-off begins [5 days from now.]
Still, I’d sure RATHER give it to my mailman — see #1.
Mari @ 2:
As to the signature problem — here’s a suggestion.
In 2016, I re-registered. It’s perfectly legal.
14Then, before I handed in the form, I took a pic of my signature and filed it on my computer as soon as I got home.
Now, when I vote, I check the signature and copy-it exactly — adding full middle name rather than initial, forming the letters exactly as registered, etc.
Relief here in NV with notification that our two ballots have been confirmed as accepted, so there’s two more for Biden/Harris and the down ballot races. We’re really hoping to defeat Mark Amodei so that our entire Congressional delegation will be D.
Our little rural northern district is a positive sign of what happens with “demographic shift.” Population is becoming younger, more educated, diverse and seriously tired of the loons who vote against their own interests. The mood is definitely “no to Donnie,” wtf was with the Bundy verdicts, and please please can we welcome all immigrants with a two for one exchange that sends all the FLDS back to Utah.
15Crone @5: who pays for the lawsuits? Why, it’s you and me, the taxpayers. Same for defending the ridiculous laws to outlaw abortion, terminate ACA, etc. They get to mug and bloviate as great conservative defenders of those shibbolets, and it’s all paid for by the state. That’s the beauty of taking over state attorney generals.
16This 10 time election judge says don’t be afraid to vote by mail or use a drop box IF you aren’t in Harris County.
17Don’t know Texas laws on signatures but in Colorado, every public signature you’ve ever made is available to be verified against.
The biggest problem is young voters, who aside from their driver’s license don’t usually have any “public” signatures on file, and I’ll guarantee you my 80 year old signature isn’t at all like my 18 year old one. Voting in person early usually isn’t bad. Election day it’s a zoo!
Yes, I’ve seen the long lines in Virginia and Texas the day voting opened. Bravo for people willing to do that.
My daughter and I voted this morning in super red Collin County TX. Took approximately 20 minutes start to finish. The polling place was active but the volunteers were doing a great job. Took a little longer for me because I had my unopened mail in ballot that had to be cancelled before I could vote in person. It’s going to be hard to wait until the results of this election are known.
18Problem with R schemes is that a lot of people already knew about them, hence the jump in early voting.
19Repugnanticans are in their frantic period and will use their full bag of tricks and dirty tricks. They’ve done it in many elections.
20And you can see it in their campaign ads now- frantic for a message, like using Dr Fauci saying things he didn’t say about Trumpf, using General Miley without his approval (against army regulations), threatening Omarosa to make pro-Trumpf ads or else (expect DOJ to interject in this). Remember swift boat and many others
And of course, this rush to confirm Amy Barrett was really about the supremes doing repugnantican dirty tricks to invalidate votes. God damn we have to have a landslide or this is going to be a truly ugly next 90 days.
Two crows: being somewhat shut in and depending on my son for rides, I would put my outgoing mail in my mailbox to be picked up by the mailman. It worked UNTIL he just delivered it to the house next door. Never ever again.
21Surly @ 16
Thanks. I have long suspected that those of us in Texas are paying for our own oppression.
This old granny with too many to count health issues will be voting in person on election day. I’ll wear an N95 mask.
22I hand delivered my ballot to the Registrar of Voters in my county. She checked my ID and compared all the signatures before I was allowed to drop it in the ballot box. My ballot has a pretty good provenance.
23Does Texas processed mail-in ballots as they arrive or on Election Day? I’m debating whether to carry in my mail in Ballot or vote in person. I’m sure not putting it in the mail.
24I’m with Jefe and the rest of ‘in person early voters’.
Because of COVID45, I initially intended to vote by mail.
But with the USPS sabotaging, and especially thinking of how much my signature now jumps around each time, I very reluctantly decided to go in person.
I am not going to risk my mail-in vote getting tossed because the signature will not match. Far better to risk my own hide this time for this reason.
Which for an extreme germaphobe and non-gregarious person like me is radical [and knowing I’ll be surrounded by 82% Trumpanzees makes my skin crawl].
.
25Been telling y’all for years that we are going to need an 15-20% overvote for a Democratic win, just to offset the Rethuglikan’s cheating, stealing and ratfucking. Nationwide, not just Texas.
@24/Vic
26I believe that TX processes absentee ballots before Election Day but doesn’t start the count until after. If you can do it safely, voting early in person is probably best. Be safe!
Since the elderly have always been a solid voting block for Republicans, I can’t for the life of me figure out how they think making it difficult for them to vote is a winning strategy.
27Voted early in person, wore my mask, had my gloves on and it took about an hour here in deep red Missouri. Like so many of you I don’t trust that my signature will match, (it’s not just the years since I was 18, it’s the mileage), so my better half and I voted early and in person because this is to damn important not to do so.
Two ways to tell how a campaign is going: what the polls show and how the candidate/campaign is acting- Trump is advertising his both Missouri & Kansas and the Republican candidate for the Senate is in full blown melt down. It will be close but there is a chance. Work hard, plan your vote, call your friends.
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