Politics • 9min read

Allegations of Voter Suppression Spark Calls for Recounts Across Multiple States

Allegations of Voter Suppression and Recounts Rock Multiple States

The US presidential elections of 2020 have been plagued with controversy, allegations of voter suppression being at the forefront. The concept of voter suppression is not new to US politics but has gained an unprecedented amount of attention this year due to the pandemic and heightened scrutiny of election procedures.

Voter suppression can take many forms, including but not limited to, implementing strict voting laws such as photo ID requirements, purging voter rolls in a discriminatory manner or excessively long waiting times. These tactics can discourage voters from casting their vote or disqualify certain people’s votes based on various criteria. The accusations relating to the 2020 elections range from postal service interference to systematic purging of voter rolls.

Several states have come under fire for alleged anti-democratic tactics used during the election period. Georgia is one prominent example where accusations are being made regarding the closure and consolidation of polling stations in predominantly African-American counties. This led to hours-long waiting lines that discouraged many people from casting their ballots.

In Wisconsin and Michigan, officials are accused by Republicans for allowing improperly cast absentee ballots what would sway the outcome towards Democrats. In Pennsylvania, officials were sued for allegedly violating state law by allowing out-of-county residents access poll centres while denying it other citizens.

As a result, demands for recounts have grown louder as political leaders express concern over accuracy in reporting and potential fraud arising from these tactics.

Recounts are where all valid ballots are counted again manually after an initial count process has taken place. They serve as a means to validate reported results by hand-counting every ballot cast ensuring no discrepancies occur between electronic tabulation machines and hand counts. The main objective behind demanding recounts is simple: they want every single eligible vote counted fairly and accurately without any bias toward either candidate.

The importance placed on accurate counting has never been higher than now; given that trust in democratic institutions rests heavily on confidence in the electoral system. That is why recounts are vital, especially when margins within a state or county were narrow enough to warrant a second look.

Voter Suppression Allegations Emerge in Several States

As the election results were announced, allegations of voter suppression began to emerge in several states across the country. The states being accused of such tactics are Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Georgia

In Georgia, there have been widespread reports of long lines and faulty voting machines that caused hours-long wait times. This has allegedly led to many voters leaving without casting their ballots due to work or other commitments. Additionally, some absentee ballot requests never made it into the hands of voters which could have potentially influenced the outcome in favor of one candidate.

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, state officials failed to send out over 27,000 requested absentee ballots before the deadline for overseas military personnel and civilians living abroad to cast their votes. These votes can impact an election especially in a tight race where every vote counts.

Michigan

Michigan saw hundreds of registered voters who reportedly received robocalls telling them not to bother coming out to vote because they won’t be able to vote by mail or via early voting. Such calls were considered as another way for voter suppression efforts

Pennsylvania

The state of Pennsylvania is no stranger when it comes to allegations around voter suppression tactics. In a lawsuit filed by advocates on behalf of Latino and Black residents against Philadelphia city leaders claimed that polling places had inadequate staffing leading people waiting in line for hours trying to cast their votes while others encountered malfunctioning equipment.

These allegations have resulted in widespread protests across all these states by people demanding justice for their right to vote.The pressure is now mounting on concerned authorities who have promised an investigation into any claims raised during this election cycle.”It’s important that people feel confident about exercising their right,” said a spokesperson from the local election commission office when asked about measures taken after such accusations came up

Demands for Recounts Grow Louder

As allegations of voter suppression continue to make headlines, demands for election recounts have begun in several states. Many voters and political leaders believe that the vote counts may be inaccurate due to alleged voter-suppression tactics used during the elections.

In Wisconsin, where Joe Biden won by a narrow margin, Trump’s campaign has already requested a recount. The state allows requests for recounts if the margin of victory is less than 1%. According to records from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, this recount will be done by hand and should be completed by December 1.

Similarly, in Michigan, activists are calling on officials to conduct a full recount. Allegations of voter suppression and other irregularities such as missing or uncounted ballots have been reported. After some county canvassing boards initially refused to certify their local results last week citing minor discrepancies, Republican members of Michigan’s Wayne County board attempted to block certification altogether before reversing course.

Georgia is also facing scrutiny as deadlines loom for certifying election results there. Lawyers representing Joe Biden filed an emergency motion on Sunday asking a federal judge in Atlanta to order Georgia’s election officials not to erase or destroy any records related to voting machines after receiving reports that they were being wiped clean despite ongoing legal challenges.

Pennsylvania too has become another front line in efforts targeting the integrity of November 3rd’s presidential contest. Late last week President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani appeared before a GOP-led legislative committee alleging widespread fraud with no evidence produced thus far beyond hearsay.

Many Americans remain divided over whether these demands for election recounts will help restore faith in democracy or further divide an already polarized nation

Legal Battles over Recounts Begin

As the calls for recounts grow louder in several states, legal battles have begun between political parties. The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit against the state of Michigan to stop its recount efforts. The party claims that the recount, which was started by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, is unnecessary and costly.

In Wisconsin, where a recount is already underway at the request of the Stein campaign, Republicans have questioned the legitimacy of some votes that were counted. A judge ruled on Monday that local officials can decide whether or not to use machines during their recounts. This decision could significantly affect how quickly Wisconsin’s vote count will be completed.

Similarly, in Pennsylvania, where recount attempts were blocked by courts for failing to show evidence of hacking or fraud, Republican lawmakers are now attempting to broaden legislation around absentee voting access to ensure ballot security.

Meanwhile, Democrats and advocacy groups argue that these lawsuits are an attempt to suppress voters’ voices and undermine democracy. They point out that voter suppression tactics such as restrictions on absentee ballots and long lines at polling stations disproportionately impact citizens from minority communities.

The ongoing legal battles add another layer of complexity to an already intense political climate following one of America’s most divisive elections in recent history. As both sides gear up for legal fights in different states involving multiple challenges related to electoral counts and allegations of voter suppression techniques used before and during election day; it remains important for officials and politicians involved to prioritize transparency within each stage of proceedings towards achieving fairness in conclusive election results without undermining basic democratic norms like free speech or right-to-vote integrity.

The Recount Process Begins

The recounting process has officially begun in multiple states where allegations of voter suppression have been made. One of the main goals is to verify that all legally cast ballots are counted accurately. This involved examining and counting each ballot by hand, a process that can take many days or even weeks.

Election officials overseeing the recounts have put security measures in place to ensure the accuracy and transparency of the process, such as adding observers from both political parties, locking up ballots securely when not in use, and regularly updating public records on how many votes have been recounted so far.

Though there has been scrutiny over Republican opposition towards hand-counting ballots through lawsuits, election officials confirmed this week that they will move forward with recount efforts using counters or by hand depending on each state’s official procedure. However, delays may occur depending on these legal battles.

Some issues have already arisen during the recounting process such as misplaced ballots or problems deciphering certain voter marks which cause delays in declaring accurate results. However, overall progress thus far indicates an accurate final count is expected soon.

Though some politicians remain skeptical surrounding outcomes of these efforts given previous experiences with controversial elections and close races with convoluted processes also leading to recounts- others hope it will bring about much needed clarity to electoral politics.

The Outcome of the Recount Effort: A Tarnished Democracy?

As the recount process is underway in several states marked with allegations of voter suppression, many individuals are anxiously waiting for a change in results. Should these efforts upend the initial outcomes, what would have been a joyful celebration for some may turn into anger and disbelief.

While some voters are hoping that their preferred candidate will emerge victorious, others are not so optimistic. In fact, they anticipate that any alteration in results will only lead to further mistrust and division within the country.

Throughout this election cycle, there has been an undeniable sense of political tension that has permeated through every aspect of American life - social media feeds overflowed with sentiments of fear, hopelessness and despair while rallies frequently turned violent as protesters vehemently expressed their views. However, despite this level of visceral response from both sides, most Americans remain committed to democracy.

Nevertheless, widespread allegations of voter suppression undercut confidence in America’s ability to conduct free and fair elections thereby shaking foundations on which democracy rests. If the recounts reveal unexpected changes towards one candidate or another or reconfirm existing leads by narrow margins then it could reinforce doubts around democratic processes rather than assuage them.

On the other hand, if no significant discrepancies arise between initial counts and recounts after thorough examination then it might lend credibility again to America’s electoral system. Nonetheless regardless if any changes emerge or not there remains much work ahead ensuring faith in democracy is restored amongst all Americans especially after recent events engulfing Capitol Hill earlier this year where certifying Joe Biden’s presidential victory was temporarily interrupted by supporters incited by false claims undermining his win.

Ultimately though irrespective of how close these races end up being at least half the nation voted either way showing no clear mandate behind either party indicating further division still lays ahead be it legislative battles or policy confrontations over issues such as healthcare reform immigration climate control etcetera thereby reinforcing need for shared responsibility and cooperation moving forward.