Defend our democracy! Are you concerned about the potential for a presidential candidate to declare the election “decided” before all the ballots are counted, such as by Nov. 4? We know that many people prefer mailing their ballots in order to avoid COVID risks at the polls, that mailed-in ballots take longer to count, and therefore we cannot expect election results to be tabulated as quickly as usual. Based on ideas from George Lakey and the group Choose Democracy (www.choosedemocracy.us), defending our democracy requires a widespread mobilization of people declaring that they will not recognize illegitimate authority.
Here is something that you can do from the safety of your home to help ensure a fair presidential election:
Send a message asking for every vote to be counted to every elected official you can think of — Gov. Cooper (governor.nc.gov), Attorney General Josh Stein, county commissioners, state legislators, U.S. senators and representatives and the N.C. Board of Elections. For example, please write to [Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Chairman Brownie Newman at] newmanasheville@gmail.com and N.C. Board of Elections at elections.sboe@ncsbe.gov. (All elected officials have contact info, but often one must enter it into their website’s form.)
Here’s a sample message: “I’m writing with concern that one presidential candidate may attempt to suppress the vote by declaring the election over before all the ballots are counted. With the large number of mail-in ballots expected, it is highly unlikely they would all be counted by the end of Nov. 4. It would help immensely to have elected officials make public statements assuring that every vote will be counted. Would you be willing to make such a statement? Can we count on you for that? Please respond.”
For other strategies to defend our democracy, please see www.holdthelineguide.com.
— Cathy Holt
Asheville
Time til someone comes on and flogs the historically-flawed conservative argument that the US is “not a democracy”… 3… 2… 1…
If it’s so important to mail in your ballot then you should plan ahead. Vote early enough so your ballot gets there by Nov 2nd. Then we don’t have to wait on you.
If you’ve gone anywhere outside of your home in the last month, there is no reason to not vote in person. Dr Fauci says it’s perfectly safe. So please vote and make sure you vote early enough so the rest of the country doesn’t have to wait on you.
Yes. Democracy.
Where the oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.
The best system of government money can buy.
“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” ― Winston S. Churchill