Since the 2020 election concluded, voting issues have come to the forefront for our nation. Some contend the election was “rigged” while others insist it was fair. I won’t speak to whether or not this most recent election was conducted fairly for all parties. I will simply point out that in my household of two, I received six ballots to vote. Obviously, I didn’t take advantage of the glitch in the system that sent some of my adult children’s ballots to my home, but I could have, and some may have.
While states, such as Georgia, have been successful in passing voter reform laws, others, such as Texas, are facing challenges. That is, if you can call all of the Democrat representatives leaving the state to avoid a vote a challenge. Words such as grandstanding and virtue signaling might be more appropriate. Here in Nevada, we did pass an election bill that made Nevada the sixth state to adopt a permanent vote-by-mail system. Assembly Bill 321, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson and Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez Thompson, was signed into law in early June. The bill requires that all county and city clerks send every active, registered voter a mail-in ballot before a primary or general election.
Earlier this year the GOP sent Nevada’s Secretary of State (SOS), who oversees elections, several thousand allegations of fraud from the 2020 election. After an extensive review of those allegations the SOS found very little evidence of voter fraud. They determined about 10 deceased individuals voted. There were, however, nearly 4,000 votes where citizenship could not be confirmed and almost 2,000 votes that may have been cast by individuals who weren’t Nevada residents. On top of that, about 18,000 votes may have been duplicate but could not be verified one way or another.
Still, we can justify that, right? Only around 22,000 possibly sketchy votes of nearly 1.5 million isn’t widespread. And, really, only 10 votes could be actually confirmed as fraud. Despite the fact that people did receive extra ballots and could have voted multiple times, the state is pretty sure they didn’t. Instead of working to fix the system so we can be sure we have trustworthy elections, we are going to carry on as we have and hope no one cheats.
You’ll have to pardon me if I don’t have confidence in an election process based on the honor system. It’s especially frustrating because there are ways we can make voting fair and accurate. Such ways might include anything from voter identification to increased scrutiny on our current signature verification. There is even technology that can ensure a signature match with accuracy between 94 and 100 percent.
CALL TO ACTION: At this point, regardless of political leanings, every single one of us should be asking if we’re okay with the status quo when it comes to voting. I’m certainly not. We don’t need more elections with the possibility of widespread voter fraud that will only continue to erode confidence. We do need free, fair and accurate elections. Let’s get out there and participate in this process. And, while we’re at it, let’s vote for some leaders that understand common sense election laws.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) “If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
By Whose Authority?
For more information on my Commentary and to see some of my backup research, or if you wonder why I take the position I take, go to www.LyleBrennan.com.