And the North Carolina Republican party sends absentee ballot forms, with Trump's pic on them, out encouraging their voters to vote by mail. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/16/poli...-absentee-ballot-request-mail-usps/index.html Voters in North Carolina have received absentee ballot request forms in the mail with Trump's face on them (CNN)Given the crisis facing the United States Postal Service before a presidential election, the last thing John Herter expected to receive in the mail Saturday was an absentee ballot request form with President Donald Trump's face on it. "Is this a joke?" Herter said his wife told him as she opened up the mailer to reveal a photo of Trump grinning underneath the words, "Are you going to let the Democrats silence you? Act now to stand with President Trump." Herter, of Lincoln County is among a group of voters in North Carolina to receive the mailer over the past few days after Trump said that he opposed crucial USPS funding because he doesn't want to see it used for mail-in voting this November. During an interview on Fox News last week, Trump said that if USPS does not receive the additional $25 billion funding request that Democrats included in the ongoing stimulus negotiations, then he believes the Post Office won't be able to handle the influx of mail-in ballots in the upcoming election. The pandemic has led to high levels of voting-by-mail, but the President has tried to restrict this method because he said it is filled with fraud and abuse, claims that CNN has fact-checked multiple times and which are largely without merit. Trump has criticized mail-in voting for months, baselessly asserting that it will lead to voter fraud. There is not widespread voter fraud in US elections, and nonpartisan experts say neither party automatically benefits when states expand access to mail-in voting. This is why Chandler Carranza, of Gaston County, North Carolina, said he laughed after receiving the absentee ballot request mailer on Thursday. "The irony is very thick and definitely not lost on me," Carranza told CNN. "Trump has been saying mail-in ballots will bring fraud to the election but absentee ballots are legit. Which is it? It can't be both ways. I laughed because if the campaign actually took information from other times they have reached out to me, they'd know I won't vote for Trump despite being a registered Republican." The Trump campaign said the mailer shows how it "is working to ensure voters in every state know how their state's sorting system works so that every eligible voter can cast their ballot and have their vote counted," Thea McDonald, deputy national press secretary, told CNN over email after she was shown the mailer. "President Trump has consistently and rightly said that where a voter cannot make it to the polls, they should request an absentee ballot," McDonald said. "The President has also correctly distinguished between chaos-ridden universal mail-in voting systems, like the one that led to California's train wreck primary, and traditional absentee mail voting systems, like the tried and true system in North Carolina—a distinction Democrats and many in the mainstream media purposely ignore to sow confusion." The mailer was sent out by the North Carolina Republican Party, press secretary Tim Wigginton told CNN. The state party has sent several statewide mailers "to make it easier for interested voters to participate," Wigginton said. "We want our voters to know they can utilize this tool to cast their ballot in an easy, safe and secure manner. It is important to note that the North Carolina system requires a voter to actively solicit a ballot and go through an easy but important verification process to request a ballot," he added. "We along with President Trump oppose an all-mail election process where voters are mailed ballots without a prior request and authentication." The USPS has come under criticism recently. Newly released letters from the USPS have warned nearly every state that slowdowns in delivery could cause ballots to show up late and not be counted. CNN and other news organizations also reported that in the last week that USPS has removed letter collection boxes in at least four states: New York, Oregon, Montana and Indiana. The USPS announced Sunday it would stop removing postal collection boxes through late November following complaints about how some had been taken away. House Democrats said Sunday they are "ramping up" their investigation of the United States Postal Service and as Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, called on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Chairman of the Postal Service Board of Governors Robert Duncan to testify. Possible action by the House could include forbidding the Postal Service to change sorting devices, prevent the closure of facilities, stopping any effort to end overtime pay or changing the timing of mail delivery, one of the sources said. Democrats also may push language requiring all ballot deliveries to have first class status. While it is common for candidates and political parties to send mail to voters, especially those who don't have access to TV or the internet, Real Facts NC, a non-profit dedicated to researching and telling the stories about issues facing North Carolinians, has never seen a mailer like this before, messaging director Jazmynne Williams told CNN. One voter concerned over the problems facing the USPS is Taylor Alexander, of Wake County, North Carolina. She received the absentee ballot request form on Wednesday. "My initial reaction was that I was kind of shocked, and laughed because of the irony of it, because Trump had been railing against mail-in voting, but here his party was, promoting it, and sending out an absentee ballot request form," Alexander said. "I think it's ridiculous that the funding is being cut and processes are being changed in the post office. People's life saving medication are days late, bills aren't being paid on time, and all for what? It's rigging the election." CNN's Dana Bash, Paul P. Murphy, Lauren Fox, Haley Byrd and Manu Raju contributed to this report
Look, guys. It's just common sense. If you know when the election is and have all the time between now and then to vote there shouldn't be any problem. And if I can do it or someone else I knows can do it. Then certainly everyone has identical circumstances so we can all do it. While we're at it. Let's cancel Amazon and online deliveries for Christmas gifts this year. I mean we know that we have roughly 4 months until Christmas. Surely we can all just go in person and buy all of the gifts that we need. Why do we need any kind of delivery or ability to order and arrange for delivery online? 4 months is plenty of time to figure out how to get this done. If I can do it, then every single other person should also be able to do it. Plus imagine all the time everyone will spend interacting with loved ones since they aren't online shopping.
Pretty much what I was thinking. Democracy can only work when everyone adheres to it. This is voter suppression at an unprecedented level. Trump and his family must really, really, really, really, really, really not like the alternative. One one side, the White House and dictatorship. On the other, trials and prison (not that politicians ever really wind up there).
as a texas resident someone give me a TLDR of what i need to do to mail in my ballot i've received my application in the mail. i called the office and they said covid isn't a good excuse, so is there anything we can legitimately do?
Unfortunately no. I want the same option as every other state in the US is offering except Texas. Our Republican powers that be over Texas are hell bent against it. They disgust me with their loyalty to their beloved puppet master. Supreme Court won’t force Texas to allow absentee ballots for all voters https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...35515c-b7e8-11ea-aca5-ebb63d27e1ff_story.html Hypocrites, just like Trump. Good enough for them but not for us. Three top Texas GOP officials who oppose expanding mail-in voting have each used it https://www.texastribune.org/2020/0...-used-greg-abbott-dan-patrick-and-ken-paxton/ They all show how little they care about the people of Texas and the pandemic.
Republican has blocked expanding mail in ballots, Dem are suing to expand. As it stands, “in order to be eligible for absentee ballots in Texas, voters must be 65 and older, be out of the county, or cite a disability or illness, but they do not have to show proof. Local elections officials also do not have the responsibility to investigate such applications. “ You can vote in person early to avoid line and crowd https://vote.org/ For TX Early voting for the general election has been extended. It will begin on Oct. 13 and run through Oct. 30.
I think it might be. Many others think it is as well. But we have to look at who is heading the executive branch and running the DOJ.
And who runs the Senate, and who runs the state governments, and who the judges are... Voting matters...in every single election down to your local school board elections...voting matters.
I’m trying to figure out why Pelosi wants to bring back the House early because anything they pass will just sit on the Grim Reaper’s desk and rot. They need to be focused on getting a stimulus deal done.
Even voting early doesn't make me feel much safer with the exemption #8 below to our thoughtful Governor's exception to his mask order, 8. any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged;
Yep...basically to push the needle in a little bit more to get the Republicans to compromise more on the next stimulus. Dems look like they're doing something to get a service fixed while the Republican Senate is at home and not coming to the table.
Both sides are doing what they know best to rally their perspective bases and their unique mental makeup.
