The US Mid-Term Elections 2022

[KnightHawk 2.0]

So now it seems real power is local power, and the Sheriff is the ultimate authority. Scary.

"The "constitutional sheriffs" movement, which has ties to the Oath Keepers and other antigovernment fringe movements, is based on the legally dubious belief that sheriffs are the ultimate law enforcement authority within their counties, superseding state and federal officials, including the U.S. president. In recent years, self-appointed constitutional sheriffs have refused to enforce various laws that they deem unconstitutional, from state and federal gun laws to pandemic-era mask mandates."
‘Constitutional’ sheriffs movement urges law enforcement to intervene in election process (yahoo.com)

See also
Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association - Wikipedia

Completely agree it is scary.

[blackchubby38]

I don't think we will truly no the answer to this question for awhile:

Yahoo News
Dems meddled in GOP primaries. Was it worth it?


http://www.yahoo.com/news/dems-meddl...163254803.html

[Stavros]

I don't think we will truly no the answer to this question for awhile:

Yahoo News
Dems meddled in GOP primaries. Was it worth it?
http://www.yahoo.com/news/dems-meddl...163254803.html

How do you read the campaigns in New York? The impression I get from the UK press is that the Democrats don't appear to be good at it, or, some candidates might be, but others seem ineffective in projecting themselves and their party. It may be that in the UK we are being 'set up' for a Republican take-over of the House, not sure about the Senate, or it may be the press can't get a handle on what is actually happening, and that a surprise might be coming.

I know it's not New York, but I saw a report about a woman called Kari Lake and I can't believe someone so aggressive and foul-mouthed is allowed to run. It is the way she gestured toward the Media pool during a rally speech and referred to the media as 'Bastards', not the kind of language one expects from someone seeking high office. I guess that is the measure of how low the bar is set these days.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Already harder for trans people to vote:
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...laws-rcna52853

[Stavros]

Thanks for the link, Fitzcarraldo, though its contents may not surprise.

I admit to being ambivalent about 'mail-in' ballots in the UK (we call them 'Postal Votes') but the evidence in the US does suggest that it increases voter participation, and is now the only means to vote in five states.

I understand too, that whereas there is an argument that Democrat supporting voters are more likely to use Mail-in Ballots- which may be why Republicans are targetting Mail-in Ballots to reject, in Texas in 2016, it was mostly Republican Party voters who did so.

But it must be true that Republicans also use Mail-in Ballots outside those five states, so the Pennsylvania decision today could just as easily impact Republican votes as Democrats. More clarification on this would be welcome.

Benefits of Mail-in Voting - ElectionBuddy

Texas Democrats were more likely to mail-in vote than Republicans in 2020 election | The Texas Tribune

US midterms: Pennsylvania court rules to discount some mail-in ballots - BBC News

[Fitzcarraldo]

I understand too, that whereas there is an argument that Democrat supporting voters are more likely to use Mail-in Ballots- which may be why Republicans are targetting Mail-in Ballots to reject, in Texas in 2016, it was mostly Republican Party voters who did so.

But it must be true that Republicans also use Mail-in Ballots outside those five states, so the Pennsylvania decision today could just as easily impact Republican votes as Democrats. More clarification on this would be welcome.

Prior to the 2020 election and Trump's denigration of the process, traditionally Republicans voted by mail (including Trump himself) far more than Democrats did. But in addition to attacking voting by mail for its fraud potential, Trump also installed Louis DeJoy as postmaster general, and sabotaged the postal service itself by cutting service and getting rid of sorting machines.

[filghy2]

The only reason they set out to denigrate mail-in votes in 2020 was that they knew Democrats would be more likely to use them because they were more concerned about Covid. It will be interesting to see whether this becomes a lasting imbalance due to Republican voters being turned off of mail voting by false claims. It will suit the election deniers' agenda if there is a late surge in Democrat votes from this source, which they can claim is suspicious.

[Fitzcarraldo]

The only reason they set out to denigrate mail-in votes in 2020 was that they knew Democrats would be more likely to use them because they were more concerned about Covid. It will be interesting to see whether this becomes a lasting imbalance due to Republican voters being turned off of mail voting by false claims. It will suit the election deniers' agenda if there is a late surge in Democrat votes from this source, which they can claim is suspicious.

The Republicans have made it more difficult to vote by mail. They've also removed lots of drop boxes (mostly from areas that tend to vote heavily Democratic). I always vote in person, but I try to vote early.

[filghy2]

The Republicans have made it more difficult to vote by mail. They've also removed lots of drop boxes (mostly from areas that tend to vote heavily Democratic). I always vote in person, but I try to vote early.

How easy is it to vote early in person in the US? In Australia we now have more than 40% of the votes being cast before election day. I've never made a postal vote because it's much easier to go to one of the early voting stations.

[Fitzcarraldo]

How easy is it to vote early in person in the US? In Australia we now have more than 40% of the votes being cast before election day. I've never made a postal vote because it's much easier to go to one of the early voting stations.

It varies, but it's very easy for me. There's an early voting site that's less than a 10-minute walk from my house. They're open 7 days a week for a couple weeks prior to election day. Early voting laws vary by state.