I have almost no concern that some big, nefarious Elon Musk-controlled computer system is going to change ballots and give Republicans a win. When you go to vote, you go to one machine and make your selection. That is all that the machine does. It marks the ballot. Then you look at the ballot and make sure it accurately reflects the choice you made and then go and put that ballot in another machine, and that machine tabulates the votes. However, the paper ballot marked by the first machine and placed in the second machine is maintained, and should the tabulations be questioned, the ballots can be hand-counted.
The truth is, we don't vote by computer. I think the way I described voting is pretty much the way it is done everywhere. Following Trump's loss of the 2020 election, he and his supporters claimed, and still claim, that the election was stolen. This involved claims that software or machines tied to Venezuela were used to “flip” votes in that election. Somehow, it involved links between Smartmatic, Dominion, and the Venezuelan government and somehow Italy was involved. It was all nonsense. Dominion and Smartmatic won big settlements for being falsely accused, and numerous court cases found no reason to doubt the integrity of the election. Unfortunately, now some Democrats are beginning to sound like MAGA cult members. There may be reasons to be concerned that Trump may try to steal the midterms, but not by manipulating voting machines.
Another thing I am not too concerned about is Republican poll watchers. I get fundraiser appeals from a group called Protect Our Democracy Fund. I don't believe I've sent them any money, and I'm not very familiar with them, but I'm on their mailing list. Today's fundraising appeal had a story about how the Republican National Committee announced on Tuesday of this week that it is deploying “poll watchers” and “election observers” to at least 17 states in what it calls a nationwide “election integrity” operation ahead of the 2026 midterms. This is supposed to concern me. I am not very concerned. I don't think "election observers" are official positions, and I'm not sure what they would do, but they couldn't do much. They couldn't do much or observe much on the outside of the polling place, and to get inside, they would have to be poll watchers. Now, I guess it is possible that the GOP is sending an army of J-6 type thugs to polling places to intimidate voters, but I doubt it.
I have been a poll watcher several times, as a supporter of a candidate, as a supporter or opponent of a referendum, and as a poll watcher for the local Republican Party. Poll watchers can observe the poll workers and can look over their shoulder if they want, to make sure that id's are properly being checked and that people are not being influenced by a poll worker as to how to vote and that people who have a problem with being at the wrong voting place or who have had a name change since voting are properly denied voting or their vote is cast provisionally as the case may warrant.
Sometimes it gets tricky. If a spouse is helping a partner who may have dementia vote, as a poll worker should you challenge the right of that person to vote? My wife, Louella, had dementia for years before she passed away. I helped her vote in several elections. I stopped once she declined to the point that I didn't feel like she was capable of making decisions. Her decline was slow, and early on, she certainly knew how she wanted to vote. No one ever challenged me in helping her vote. If they would have, I would have understood.
Having worked as a poll watcher numerous times, I don't think I ever challenged anyone's right to cast a vote. Because I was looking over the poll worker's shoulder and observing, the poll worker may have made someone cast a provisional ballot, whereas otherwise they might have just let them go ahead and vote, but I don't know that, and I sort of doubt it. The most significant thing I ever did as a poll watcher was make sure campaign workers observed the 100' boundary. Some campaign workers will try to walk voters to the door and violate the boundary limits. Another thing I sometimes did was ask a poll worker to enforce the prohibition on people entering the polling place wearing a campaign cap, shirt, or campaign button. I'm not sure that really matters that much, but rules should be enforced. I don't think a poll worker ever intentionally allowed someone to wear campaign paraphernalia inside the voting place, but I was an extra set of eyes to point it out if someone did.
I am somewhat concerned that Trump may post ICE agents at voting places with large Hispanic or immigrant populations. This would no doubt suppress the Hispanic turnout. There have been incidents of people who are in the country legally, even American citizens, being detained by ICE, so unless one has a burning desire to vote, why take the risk of showing up to vote if there are ICE agents at polling places? Given that ICE agents have murdered American citizen protestors, even non-Hispanic voters may decide not to vote it they know that ICE agents are at polling locations. So, I am concerned that having ICE agents at polling places could suppress turnout.
I am concerned that Trump may go big and try to steal the election. Before the midterms, Trump could send ICE to Democratic cities, and protests could occur, and then Trump would use the excuse that those cities were in a state of insurrection, impose martial, law and impose a lockdown on election day. We know Trump attempted a coup on January 6, 2021, so attempting to stop Democrats from winning the midterm is not far-fetched.
My biggest concern is that if Democrats win the midterm but only by a few seats, the House may refuse to seat enough members to ensure Republicans maintain their majority. Under Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution, each House of Congress is “the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members.” This means the House can, in theory, refuse to seat a new member if it determines the person does not meet the constitutional qualifications. Based on a 1969 Supreme Court case, the House is supposed to only refuse to seat a member if the person fails to meet the constitutional age, citizenship, or residency requirements. However, if the Speaker simply refused to seat the new member and alleged voter fraud as the reason, this would likely lead to a constitutional crisis, and the courts would have to intervene. I doubt this would succeed, but Speaker Johnson and House Republicans might attempt it.
So, while I am concerned that Republicans may try to steal the midterm, I have zero concern that voting machines will flip the votes and almost no concern that Republican poll watchers will somehow impact the outcome of an election. To ensure elections are conducted fairly, both Republicans and Democrats need to have poll watchers at polling places.
Also, to help ensure election integrity, both Republicans and Democrats should become poll workers. Poll workers are often retired people who serve out of a sense of civic responsibility. I have served as a poll worker, and it is a long, tiring day, and the pay is low. I am more confident of election integrity if there are both Republicans and Democrats serving as poll workers. There is always a shortage of poll workers.
While each state sets the guidelines for conducting elections, I would assume that most states have rules for poll watchers similar to those we have in Tennessee.
Here are the poll watcher guidelines for Davidson County, Tennessee.
Who may appoint poll watchers?
Each political party – political party means an organization which nominates candidates for public office
Each candidate in a general or primary election
Any citizens’ organization interested in a question on the ballot
Any citizens’ organization interested in the integrity of the election process
How are poll watchers appointed?
A list of appointees must be submitted to the Davidson County Election Commission in writing and be signed by the person or organization authorized to make the appointment
The same person may be appointed to serve in more than one polling location
A poll watcher must be age seventeen (17) or older by Election Day
A poll watcher must be a resident of Tennessee, but does not have to live in Davidson County
Who may not be appointed as a poll watcher?
Anyone who is a candidate for an office on the ballot
The spouse of a candidate
When must appointments be submitted to the Davidson County Election Commission?
All poll watcher appointments must be submitted no later than NOON two (2) business days before serving as a poll watcher.How must appointments be submitted to the Davidson County Election Commission?
Submit appointments by the deadline in one of the following ways:
Scan signed list and email to: helpvote@nashville.gov
Hand-deliver signed list to the Davidson County Election Commission Main Office:
Election Commission Office, 1281 Murfreesboro Pike, Third Floor, Nashville,TN 37217
What must a poll watcher do upon arriving at the polling place?
Show their poll watcher badge to the Poll Officer
Sign the Visitor Log and present photo ID
Wear the poll watcher badge provided by the Davidson County Election Commission at all times while in the polling place
What activities are permitted?
Watch and inspect performance in and around the polling place
Inspect the Technician's Certification
Speak to the Poll Officer
Challenge voters, through the Poll Officer
Present a protest of any aspect of the conduct of the election to the Poll Officer or Davidson County Election Commission
Be present during all proceedings at the polling place
What activities are prohibited?
Interfere with any voter in preparing or casting their ballot
Prevent election officials from performing their duties
Observe the giving of assistance to a voter
Wear campaign material of any kind during the performance of their duties as a poll watcher
Speak to voters; this includes greeting the voter or standing in the doorway where the voter enters
Exit the room of the Absentee Counting Board after the counting of ballots begins
Possess or use electronic devices when observing the duties of the Absentee Counting Board
May poll watchers engage in campaign activities?
No campaign activity is permitted inside the 100-foot boundary/inside the polling place
Campaign activities are allowed outside the 100-foot boundary/campaign-free zone
If you are a Democrat or a Republican or an independent and are concerned about election integrity, become a poll worker or a poll watcher. Don't freak out about the other party having their members serve as poll workers or poll watchers. The more watchers, the better.
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