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Understanding each article in this series will provide you with the information you need to be instrumental in the success of EIPCa’s Proposal to Congress, which would reverse the demise of election integrity nationwide.
Please do not miss a single article in this series designed to foster your understanding of our Proposal. If you do, you may access them here. While you are on the website, sign up to receive all future articles directly to your inbox.
The transition from “Election Day” to “Election Season” has created a multitude of opportunities for election manipulation.
1. Extended voting periods
In 1845, Congress established the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years as Federal (General) Election Day.
The wording is very clear and unambiguous. Until Congress supersedes that law, there is little wiggle room for states to move or extend that date. Therefore, it could be argued that ballots cast on any other day, with the exception of absentee ballots, are illegally cast.
For too long, those entrusted with enforcing such federal laws have abdicated their responsibility and allowed states to make very liberal adjustments to the definition of “Election Day.” Some California counties have even ceased to use the term at all, preferring “last day of voting.”
Now, virtually all states allow walk-in early voting. California has a 29-day pre-Election Day early voting period, and while it is not the longest in the nation, it ranks near the top.
To add insult to injury, California allows a grace period of seven days after “the last day of voting” for “timely arrival” of mail-in ballots.
Many other states have followed suit, with one allowing a grace period of a full 14 days. If there is no readable postmark on a late ballot, it must be accepted if the date the voter writes next to the signature is Election Day or before. The potential for manipulation should be obvious.
Such lengthy voting periods are not only arguably illegal, they are completely unnecessary and create chaos and insecurity in the process.
If Congress deems that societal changes necessitate some flexibility (a single Tuesday is a bit random and inconvenient given the 21st century work world), it may be wise to redesignate a slightly extended voting period to encompass a single weekend. 3-4 days of open polls--but no more.
2. Vote Center vs Precinct Voting
Ever since the passage of the Voters Choice Act (VCA), elections in California have undergone drastic changes.
Even though the adoption of the new voting model was optional county by county, the state has used many “carrots” and a few “sticks” to make resistance extremely difficult.
Now, 30 of the 58 counties have adopted the VCA, including the highly populated counties of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Ventura, Fresno, Riverside and Sacramento.
Originally the most distinguishing element of the VCA was
the mandate to mail ballots to all active voters within the county.
But for the legislature, buy-in was too slow, so when COVID provided an excuse to extend that mandate statewide, they did so immediately, and then made the practice permanent a year later.
The second distinguishing element of VCA voting was the elimination of neighborhood precinct polls and the establishment of Vote Centers.
Voters wishing to vote in person have far fewer and generally more distant places to vote, but an 11-day window to do so, and the ability to vote at any Vote Center in their county.
That VCA uniqueness has become muddled as subsequent laws have mandated traditional counties to provide early voting centers prior to Election Day.
Most traditional counties also now have the technology (electronic pollbook, ballot marking device or ballot printer) to allow voters to vote anywhere within the county, rather than at their neighborhood precinct.
There is now little difference between VCA and non-VCA counties,
other than the number of polls open on Election Day itself.
But despite all of this progressive alteration of how Californians vote, neither overall voter turnout nor voting patterns of targeted communities have significantly changed.
More Californians are confused, election administration costs are much higher, citizen participation in election administration is down (the average citizen does not have fourteen 8-hour days and one 15-hour day to volunteer as a poll worker), and opportunities for fraud and manipulation are much more abundant.
If the number of voting days were limited and voting locations returned to small precinct locations, voting would be extremely convenient, as it used to be. Most long lines and wait times associated with Vote Center voting would be eliminated, and a return to hand-marked paper ballots that are auditable and impervious to alteration by electronic intrusion would be possible.
A return to precinct voting would also facilitate accurate
and transparent hand counting at the precinct level,
resulting in final results within 24 hours.
All of the above election system repairs are included in EIPCa’s Proposal, and most are in the MEGA Act.
Please join us in taking the follow actions:
- Use your phone and constituent email opportunities to put polite but insistent pressure on your own U.S. Senator (“friendly” or otherwise) and on Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
The U.S. Capitol switchboard number is 202 224-3121.
Light it up at least once a week. NEVER GIVE UP.
Tell your senator and Senator Thune directly that passing the SAVE America Act is a top priority for over 80% of ALL Americans.
Tell them you expect their actions to reflect their oath to represent the desires of their constituents by supporting an immediate return to the Standing Filibuster and a YES vote on the SAVE America Act.
- Urge everyone you know to do the same.
This is the most bi-partisan issue we have seen in our lifetime, so share with people outside your normal echo chamber.
- Post our articles on all of your social media platforms.
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