Time Magazine and the Continuing Challenges to Election Integrity

Time_Magazine_Election_Outcome_Engineered.jpgTens of millions of voters across the country are concerned about irregularities with the 2020 electoral process, while Democrats tell them to move along and accept the results - "nothing to see here."

A recent article in Time magazine comes to a different conclusion. It claims that during 2020 there “was a conspiracy unfolding behind the scenes...the result of an informal alliance between left-wing activists and business titans" to influence the outcome of the election. This "handshake between business and labor [was] just one component of a vast, cross-partisan campaign..." The Time article posits that people in positions of power and influence engineered the outcome of an election in order to reach a desired goal.

The article also reveals that a "well-funded cabal of powerful people, ranging across industries and ideologies, working together behind the scenes to influence perceptions, change rules and laws, steer media coverage and control the flow of information." Last-minute election rule changes made unilaterally by judicial and executive branches (rightfully the domain and responsibility of state legislatures) have led to doubts and concerns for tens of millions of Americans across the country.

If some of the outstanding concerns regarding the 2020 election weren't troubling enough, Democrats at the national and state levels are currently working to permanently remove electoral safeguards and transparency from the voting process.

Congressional Democrats Move to Codify Election Irregularities Under the Guise of "Protecting the Vote"

Rep_Tom_Emmer.jpgU.S. Congressman Tom Emmer (R - MN), pictured at right, recently highlighted the attempt by Congressional Democrats in their first House Bill this session (H.R. 1) to permanently remove voting safeguards at the federal level and subvert state election processes.  

”We must restore faith and confidence in our election system. Unfortunately, House Democrats' number one priority as we begin a new Congress is a massive overhaul that will nationalize our system of elections, make permanent changes that were made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and create a federal fund to “match” campaign contributions to candidates using your taxpayer dollars...
 
“Articles 1 and 2 of the Constitution place the States (and more importantly, State Legislatures) in control of determining the time, place, and manner in which Members of Congress and the President can be elected...The right to manage our system of elections must remain under the control of the States.
 
“Efforts to expand federal control over our elections, eliminate even the most basic voter I.D requirements, legalize ballot harvesting nationwide, and direct your hard-earned dollars to candidates without your consent – all of which are included in H.R. 1 - will irreparably erode the foundation of our Republic....”

MN DFL Introduces Initiatives to Further Remove Electoral Safeguards

Following national Democrats' lead, the Minnesota DFL has made H.F. 9 a priority this 2021 legislative session.  Introduced by 35 DFL representatives, including Heather Edelson and Steve Elkins, H.F. 9 would automatically add the following to the voter registration list :

-  Everyone who applies for or renews a driver's license

-  Anyone who receives public assistance administered by the state of Minnesota

-  All 18-year-olds

H.F. 9 proposes to automatically send absentee ballots for permanent absentee voters.  It also waives the signature requirement for absentee ballots, a crucial measure to ensure integrity in the voting process and a key point of contention already in this most recent 2020 election cycle

The bill also aims to restore voting rights for convicted felons who are no longer incarcerated - although they may not have completed their sentence or parole. 

What SHOULD Proper Election Integrity Initiatives Look Like?

A recent report from the Heritage Foundation, "The Facts About Election Integrity and the Need for States to Fix Their Election Systems"  lays out nine key "best practices" to ensure the integrity of elections, including verifying the accuracy of voter registration lists, requiring voter ID and verifying citizenship of voters, limiting absentee ballots, and preventing vote harvesting.  Note that the DFL is against these items.

Additionally, the report includes a list of actions that states should not do in order to protect the sanctity of elections.  A key stance in the report is that no one should be automatically registered without their explicit consent or knowledge, since this can lead to duplicate registrations and the potential for registration of ineligible individuals.  Interestingly, automatic registration is a key component of the MN DFL's H.F. 9.

Elections are a cornerstone of our republic and should rightfully be protected, which is why it is critical to ensure that every legal vote counts and is not diluted by fraud or other issues.  We cannot allow the MN DFL to further weaken election integrity safeguards.

Call to Action - contact Republican Senate leadership to voice any concerns you have around the integrity of our elections and your opposition to DFL attempts to remove further safeguards and eliminate transparency.