MAGA’s Tactics to Sabotage Democracy in Battleground States
Elections Under Attack
The steps that Donald Trump and MAGA will take to suppress the vote and disenfranchise people in battleground states to try and steal the election, know no boundaries. Here are just two examples of MAGA’s tactics. No wonder Trump regularly says, he doesn’t need people to vote for him.
Arizona’s New Barriers to Voting: Citizenship Proofs and Legal Hurdles
Recently, the Republican National Committee, on behalf of Donald Trump, obtained an order from the United States Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision, impacting Arizona’s registered voters and those who need to register by the October 7th deadline. Despite publicly claiming support for counting every vote, privately, they are working to disenfranchise voters, especially in states like Arizona, where Joe Biden won by only 10,000 votes and where Senator Mark Kelly (D) is ahead by a narrow margin.
The new Supreme Court decision affects how voters prove citizenship before they can vote. Previously, individuals could register by signing an oath, acknowledging the legal consequences of fraudulent voting. However, after losing in 2020, Arizona’s Republican legislature introduced stricter requirements, making the registration process more cumbersome. They increased the hurdles by requiring voters to present additional documentation, such as a passport or birth certificate, and mandated that election clerks verify citizenship through databases, creating significant barriers.
Locked Out: The New Barriers Targeting First-Time Voters in Arizona
This new ruling particularly impacts new voters who register before the October 7th deadline. Democrats, who are leading the voter registration drives, must now ensure that voters gather the necessary documents. Although Democrats support election integrity, the changes are seen as voter suppression rather than a measure against meaningful fraud, as investigations, including those paid for by Trump, found no significant voter fraud in Arizona.
The court’s 5-4 decision reflects the current conservative majority, with Justices Gorsuch, Alito, Thomas, Kavanaugh, and Roberts supporting the law, and Justices Barrett, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissenting. The decision underscores the Supreme Court’s ongoing shift in crucial areas, such as voting rights, separation of church and state, and women’s rights.
The upcoming election is critical, with the potential to recalibrate the court’s balance through future appointments. Meanwhile, Arizona voters, particularly those newly registering, must navigate these new hurdles, and Democrats are urged to continue their efforts to mobilize voters and push back against these suppressive measures. This battle over voting rights is seen as a vital component of the broader struggle to restore a functioning two-party system in the United States.
Georgia’s Election Board Takeover: MAGA’s New Power Play
A new major lawsuit has been filed in Fulton County, Georgia, which could impact the outcome of the election. This lawsuit, brought by the Democratic Party of Georgia and the national Democratic Party, targets the state election board in Georgia, which has recently been taken over by MAGA Trump supporters. With a 3-2 majority, the board now has control, and Donald Trump has praised them, calling them “pit bulls for victory” at a recent rally.
These new, partisan board members have passed a series of rules designed to create confusion and cast doubt on the election results in Georgia.
Even Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, criticized these new rules, saying that they undermine voter confidence, delay results, and disrupt the election process. Raffensperger expressed concern about the state election board’s misguided attempts, which he believes will burden election workers and disrupt the established procedures for ensuring election integrity.
Legal Battles in Georgia: Fighting Against Last-Minute Changes
The lawsuit, filed as a verified petition for declaratory judgment, challenges these new rules, arguing that they are an attempt to disenfranchise voters and undermine the certification process. The lawsuit alleges that the new rules give board members and local officials aligned with Trump the power to delay certification, question the validity of the vote, and create unnecessary barriers for voters. It emphasizes that every state has a deadline for certifying election results, and any irregularities should be handled through the established court process, not through last-minute changes to election procedures.
Courtroom Clash: Democrats Fight MAGA’s New Rules to Delay Election Results
The Democratic Party’s legal action aims to prevent the board from using its new rules to interfere with the election outcome. The lawsuit asks the court to declare that the certification process is mandatory and must be completed by a specific deadline. It argues that the election board cannot create new rules that grant the election superintendent the discretion to delay or refuse certification without a judicial order, and it seeks a court ruling to reinforce the validity of the election process.
The Bigger Picture: MAGA’s National Strategy to Control Elections
This lawsuit addresses a broader strategy by MAGA supporters to place pro-Trump individuals on election boards across the country, particularly in battleground states, to interfere with the democratic process. Democrats have recognized this tactic and are fighting back with legal challenges to protect election integrity. The case is expected to move quickly, with a judge likely to hold a fast-track hearing, given the approaching election deadlines.
The lawsuit highlights the importance of maintaining confidence in the electoral process and ensuring that all votes are counted fairly. It aims to prevent last-minute rule changes designed to undermine voter trust and sow chaos, emphasizing that existing laws and procedures are sufficient to address any genuine concerns about fraud or irregularities. The Democratic Party’s swift legal response underscores its commitment to defending the integrity of elections and opposing efforts to manipulate the process for partisan gain.
Democracy in Danger: How MAGA’s Tactics Undermine Fair Elections
The actions in Arizona and Georgia reveal a clear pattern: MAGA and Trump are willing to bend, manipulate, and even break the rules to secure electoral victories, regardless of the legal or moral implications. From imposing new, burdensome requirements on first-time voters in Arizona to seizing control of election boards in Georgia, these tactics are designed to confuse, delay, and ultimately disenfranchise voters who are unlikely to support them.
These efforts are not about protecting the integrity of the vote, as investigations have repeatedly found no significant voter fraud; instead, they are calculated moves to tilt the playing field in their favor.
Relentless, coordinated attacks on the electoral process show that Trump and his allies are not bound by the principles of democracy. They are actively rewriting the rules to undermine the fundamental right to vote, hoping to gain an advantage not at the ballot box, but in the courts and through bureaucratic maneuvers.
The fight against these tactics is more than a legal battle—it’s a battle for the soul of American democracy. As these lawsuits unfold, it becomes clearer than ever that defending the integrity of elections is not just about protecting individual votes, but about safeguarding the very foundation of a fair and functioning democratic system.