Election integrity and the transfer of power

[Little Raven]

Denied by the fifth circuit. In the end, all the likely did was piss people off.

Ayup. I know doomsaying is all the rage, but our Courts are still holding. For now, anyway. We'll see what happens after the packing.

[Skinypupy]

Denied by the fifth circuit. In the end, all the likely did was piss people off.

Ayup. I know doomsaying is all the rage, but our Courts are still holding. For now, anyway. We'll see what happens after the packing.

“Day drinking and doom scrolling” is my motto for tomorrow.

[Zaxxon]

Denied by the fifth circuit. In the end, all the likely did was piss people off.

https://twitter.com/RMFifthCircuit/stat ... 4612052992

And yet due to these GOP shenanigans 9 of the 10 locations are now closed for tomorow. The actual election day.

[stessier]

Headed in... See you on the other side!

[Zaxxon]

Headed in... See you on the other side!

May the Force be with you.

[The Meal]

Headed in... See you on the other side!

Thank you for your service, and BE SAFE!!

[Paingod]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

[raydude]

Headed in... See you on the other side!

May your duty be dull and boring, with no shenanigans.

[YellowKing]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

My wife also laughed at my early mail-in paranoia, but I did manage to convince her to vote early in person a couple of weeks ago.

[Skinypupy]

Just got confirmation that both mine and Mrs. Skinypupy's ballots have been counted.

[Zarathud]

My wife was working at the Chicago polls starting at 5 am and will be there until close. She’s an acting “Republican” worker so no MAGA crazy from the suburbs can roll into the city to suppress votes. Her family were Democratic machine supporters and social workers. Mentioning this irony is certain doom.

I’ll be bringing coffee and voting after the kids get up. They have no school today so I’m not getting mich work done.

[Unagi]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

We’ve never had lines at our polling place.
I feel very lucky.

I went this morning and only waited for a touch screen to open up, and that was all.

I’m in a blue state (Illinois) , so my vote won’t be as critical, but I honestly had concerns about mail in voting that I do not think were entirely unwarranted.

[ImLawBoy]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

We’ve never had lines at our polling place.
I feel very lucky.

I went this morning and only waited for a touch screen to open up, and that was all.

I’m in a blue state (Illinois) , so my vote won’t be as critical, but I honestly had concerns about mail in voting that I do not think were entirely unwarranted.

That's why I dropped off my ballot (and my wife's) at a voting drop box instead of mailing.

[malchior]

We were able to send ours in over a month ago and got confirmation that it was received. Easiest election ever. I hope this becomes the norm here.

[Unagi]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

We’ve never had lines at our polling place.
I feel very lucky.

I went this morning and only waited for a touch screen to open up, and that was all.

I’m in a blue state (Illinois) , so my vote won’t be as critical, but I honestly had concerns about mail in voting that I do not think were entirely unwarranted.

That's why I dropped off my ballot (and my wife's) at a voting drop box instead of mailing.

I know I’m being silly, but I really didn’t feel this was the year for me to learn how to vote early.

I didn’t (as I’m guessing folks like Paingod’s good wife) , didn’t want to add -any- threat to my vote being counted.

Stuck to what’s worked.

[Paingod]

I know I’m being silly, but I really didn’t feel this was the year for me to learn how to vote early.

If I was in a swing state or felt like my municipality might be overwhelmed I'd have probably waited as well.

[LawBeefaroni]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

We’ve never had lines at our polling place.
I feel very lucky.

I went this morning and only waited for a touch screen to open up, and that was all.

I’m in a blue state (Illinois) , so my vote won’t be as critical, but I honestly had concerns about mail in voting that I do not think were entirely unwarranted.

That's why I dropped off my ballot (and my wife's) at a voting drop box instead of mailing.

Wife dropped hers of a week and a half ago. Since my vote isn't crucial (Illinois) I mailed mine at the 10th hour just to see how things would go. Got there and was accepted in 3 days. Don't think there's a huge USPS issue, at least not in Chicago. Or Carol Stream, where it went on day two.

[hepcat]

My rabid Trump supporter of a coworker is posting on facebook that he started work this morning as a "sheriff" at his local election center in Indiana. Is that a thing? or is he probably just a volunteer touting himself as such?

[Blackhawk]

My rabid Trump supporter of a coworker is posting on facebook that he started work this morning as a "sheriff" at his local election center in Indiana. Is that a thing? or is he probably just a volunteer touting himself as such?

It could be reserve deputy status, but that isn't usually done on the spot (it's a program that people have to be accepted for.) Or maybe a redneck Sherifff somewhere is deputizing poll workers to get around restrictions. Who knows?

[Paingod]

My rabid Trump supporter of a coworker is posting on facebook that he started work this morning as a "sheriff" at his local election center in Indiana. Is that a thing? or is he probably just a volunteer touting himself as such?

I believe that's code for "I showed up to yell at anyone who might vote Biden"

I've seen a couple videos with incredibly aggressive Trumpsters getting n voters' faces about their choices.

"You want to be owned by China? Do YOU? You're voting for a pedophile!"

[malchior]

Looks like Judge Sullivan (yes that one) is apparently going to order a sweep of postal locations to make sure ballots aren't left behind. The reason is below from the filing. Some places like Atlanta and in PA are seeing ballots arrive but not leave like the USPS is a ballot roach motel. "World's Greatest Democracy".

https://twitter.com/KMGallagher5/status ... 1181770752

[Zarathud]

25 minutes at the polls in Chicago, mainly because there are at least 4 crappy judges to vote against. Dropped off a few coffees at my wife’s request.

Voted for a non-flat tax amendment

The open ended and general public questions were bullshit:
Voted for broadband
Voted against limiting development due to equity and diversity
Voted for assault/magazine ban

[ImLawBoy]

I've never been happier to not have procrastinated. Using the mail-in ballot was easy, and tracking it to know they received and accepted it easy as well. My wife thought I was being silly. She gets to go stand in line today.

We’ve never had lines at our polling place.
I feel very lucky.

I went this morning and only waited for a touch screen to open up, and that was all.

I’m in a blue state (Illinois) , so my vote won’t be as critical, but I honestly had concerns about mail in voting that I do not think were entirely unwarranted.

That's why I dropped off my ballot (and my wife's) at a voting drop box instead of mailing.

Wife dropped hers of a week and a half ago. Since my vote isn't crucial (Illinois) I mailed mine at the 10th hour just to see how things would go. Got there and was accepted in 3 days. Don't think there's a huge USPS issue, at least not in Chicago. Or Carol Stream, where it went on day two.

My local post office (Clemente on California) was at one point within the last 10 years rated the worst in the country (by what metrics, I have no idea). The elder son's school pictures from last year arrived five or six months after their postmark dates (we actually called the photography company to complain and had new ones arrive before the originals were eventually delivered). Better safe than sorry around these parts.

[Paingod]

Looks like Judge Sullivan (yes that one) is apparently going to order a sweep of postal locations to make sure ballots aren't left behind. The reason is below from the filing. Some places like Atlanta and in PA are seeing ballots arrive but not leave like the USPS is a ballot roach motel. "World's Greatest Democracy".

What. The. Fuck.

How is that even possible? Even with shitty mail service and missing sorting equipment, the ballots should be processed at about the same rates as other mail. How is that anything but deliberate malice and obstruction?

[malchior]

It is just insane to me that a judge had to order the post office *step* by *step* how to deal with this situation. Down to how they needed to create queues and station an employee to post-mark ballots. And Biden can't even fire DeJoy when this is over. I'm so sick of the obvious dysfunction and criminality in this country.

How is that even possible? Even with shitty mail service and missing sorting equipment, the ballots should be processed at about the same rates as other mail. How is that anything but deliberate malice and obstruction?

It's absolutely malice. Sullivan is riding DeJoy and USPS management right now in unbelievable ways because it is clear they are doing this on purpose.

Edit: Update from a Washington Post article that just dropped.

To make that easier for postal workers to track, the agency circulated a chart with all 50 states and the District of Columbia and their ballot acceptance deadlines. Except the chart was wrong. It provided incorrect information about deadlines in Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, which were the subject of litigation.

Sullivan’s new order includes a chart with updated Election Day ballot submission deadlines and any extensions for each state.

[Smoove_B]

I'm thankful they're shining a spotlight on whatever the hell is happening in those facilities *before* the election is officially over, at least.

[Jaymann]

Why can't he fire DeJoy?

[Enough]

It is just insane to me that a judge had to order the post office *step* by *step* how to deal with this situation. Down to how they needed to create queues and station an employee to post-mark ballots. And Biden can't even fire DeJoy when this is over. I'm so sick of the obvious dysfunction and criminality in this country.

How is that even possible? Even with shitty mail service and missing sorting equipment, the ballots should be processed at about the same rates as other mail. How is that anything but deliberate malice and obstruction?

It's absolutely malice. Sullivan is riding DeJoy and USPS management right now in unbelievable ways because it is clear they are doing this on purpose.

This is exactly the kind of shenanigans I was fearful of, the courts are just one vehicle and they have had some big wins there but that's just one plank of the voter suppression effort.

[Alefroth]

Why can't he fire DeJoy?

He's appointed by the board of governors of the USPS. Who are appointed by the president.

[malchior]

Why can't he fire DeJoy?

It is semi-independent like the Fed and the board is controlled by Republicans. Honestly the governance issues at the USPS are fascinating in a 'case study' sense why this country is a basket case. A lot of blame goes to Trump for smashing institutions but the GOP has been poisoning the ground for decades to make it possible.

Why can't he fire DeJoy?

He's appointed by the board of governors of the USPS. Who are appointed by the president.

FWIW - Biden won't be able to change the board in a meaningful way anytime soon.

[Alefroth]

Nope.

[Jaymann]

They need an ex parte!

[Blackhawk]

If he can't fire him, perhaps he can prosecute him.

[malchior]

BTW - if you want to learn how the Board fell under Trump's literal thumb (5 out of 6 of the board are Trumpists) then you need to understand it was blocked in the Senate...guess who's got most of the fault?

Spoiler:

McConnell with a massive helping hand from Bernie. In fact, they tried to hang it on Bernie but one senator stopped it for *years*? I don't buy it. McConnell was only so happy to let the USPS languish.

[malchior]

Here is the text of the order from Sullivan. The guy is treating the management at USPS like they are kindergarteners.

https://twitter.com/johnkruzel/status/1 ... 2969062400

[Smoove_B]

https://twitter.com/EricCortellessa/sta ... 9227191298

The GOP commissioner of Lancaster County, in southern Pennsylvania, is REFUSING TO COUNT MAIL-IN BALLOTS THAT COME IN AFTER ELECTION DAY UNTIL THERE IS A SUPREME COURT RULING.

[Zaxxon]

That's obviously a monstrous tack to take, but it'[d | ll] be interesting to see how that plays out. Given D early turnout, it's possible that those 'late' early votes might favor the GOP.

[LordMortis]

That's obviously a monstrous tack to take, but it'[d | ll] be interesting to see how that plays out. Given D early turnout, it's possible that those 'late' early votes might favor the GOP.

I can't speak to PA but in MI there was a big late mailing push by the GOP for absentee voting... (only after spending over a year attacking it every opportunity (that which came after opposing it at every opportunity even in courts after it won on the ballots in 2018)).

I am weakly hoping the GOP aversion to mail in voting influenced my experience today. Let's just say there were a lot of people in line with... Trump hats, showing disregard for proper masking, and ignoring practices of social distancing and trying to blather on about how it is WRT COVID as we wait in line to vote in an elementary school this is only closed because voting day.

[Alefroth]

What if there's no ruling? Seems like he's opening himself up to lawsuits.

[Holman]

That's obviously a monstrous tack to take, but it'[d | ll] be interesting to see how that plays out. Given D early turnout, it's possible that those 'late' early votes might favor the GOP.

Depends on how many of Trump's Amish supporters have been following the news about mailed ballots on social media.