Election offices in Maryland and California received bomb threats, prompting evacuations and raising concerns about election interference. The threats, which also targeted other states like Georgia and Pennsylvania, were reported to authorities, including the Baltimore Police Department.
The timing of these threats, coming shortly after the midterm elections, has sparked speculation and fueled anxieties about the integrity of the electoral process. Some believe the threats are part of a broader effort to undermine confidence in the results, potentially paving the way for a recount or casting doubt on the legitimacy of the vote. Others see the threats as an attempt to sow division and disrupt the democratic process, citing the possibility of foreign interference, particularly from Russia.… Continue reading
Following the November 5th election in Calhoun County, Michigan, a software error led to the misreporting of approximately 4,000 votes, potentially impacting the outcome of the 44th District House race. The error stemmed from the county’s inability to combine results from two high-speed absentee ballot tabulators, causing the system to replace the first set of results with the second instead of adding them. While the unofficial results show Republican challenger Steve Frisbie winning, Democratic incumbent Jim Haadsma’s attorney emphasizes the need for a thorough canvass to ensure accurate results. County officials, along with the Michigan Bureau of Elections, are working to address this issue, and the integrity of the election process remains intact.
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Despite months of relentless claims of widespread voter fraud and warnings of a stolen election, Donald Trump and his allies abruptly shifted their rhetoric on Election Day. As results initially favored Trump, concerns about election integrity disappeared, replaced by self-congratulatory messages. Similarly, far-right channels on Telegram, previously brimming with fraud allegations, fell silent. Notably, Trump himself ceased his accusations, even though he continues to refuse to concede the 2020 election. While some baseless claims about voter fraud emerged on the left, they were not endorsed by Democratic officials and stood in stark contrast to Vice President Kamala Harris’s acceptance of the election results, emphasizing a fundamental principle of American democracy.
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For years, a chorus of voices within the Republican party and its loyal following railed against the integrity of American elections, claiming widespread fraud and a rigged system. This narrative, amplified by former President Donald Trump and his allies, sowed seeds of doubt and distrust in the very foundation of democracy. Yet, when the results of the 2024 election rolled in, a curious phenomenon emerged: the chorus fell silent.
As Trump surged ahead in the polls, the accusations of rampant voter fraud vanished as quickly as they had appeared. The same individuals who had spent years warning about the dangers of “stolen elections” suddenly embraced the democratic process, accepting the results without a whimper of protest.… Continue reading
Democratic secretaries of state from seven US states are calling on social media companies to detail their content moderation plans during and after the elections to combat potentially inflammatory and misleading information spreading online. The public officials sent the letters to Google, X, and Meta expressing their deep concern regarding the absence of clear plans to counter false election-related content influenced by artificial intelligence or perpetuated by users. They addressed instances throughout the 2024 election where misinformation has spread, with claims of election fraud possibly leading to real-life violent outcomes. Furthermore, they requested information on how these companies are promoting official and trustworthy sources, countering conspiracies, and dealing with potential artificial intelligence threats.
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A federal judge has ruled that Iowa can continue to challenge the validity of hundreds of suspected non-citizen voters, despite opposition from recently naturalized citizens. The decision was made in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. Judge Stephen Locher argued that the state’s efforts didn’t remove individuals from the voting register, but instead required the use of provisional ballots. The decision follows a similar ruling in Virginia that allowed a purge of its voter registration rolls, despite the impact on some US citizens. Critics argue the recent focus on potential non-citizens voting in elections is largely politically motivated.
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The state of Ohio has clarified that slogans affiliated with a political party, candidate, or ballot issue are allowed in polling places, as long as they do not display the name of the party, candidate, or issue. This interpretation has reportedly been steady since Secretary of State Frank LaRose took office, although some county officials had previously believed such implicit endorsements were prohibited. The state advised that voters who display such material and refuse to remove or cover it must still be allowed to vote if they are otherwise eligible. This has raised concerns among some poll workers who worry it could incite violence or conflict.
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A lawsuit against Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his political action committee (PAC) regarding their $1 million daily giveaways to registered voters has been returned to a state court in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner alleges that Musk and the PAC are running an illegal lottery and attempting to sway voters in the presidential race. Krasner’s request to bar Musk and his PAC from awarding further prizes will be considered by a Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas judge. The defendants’ claim that the case should be adjudicated in federal court because it pertains to the upcoming election was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Gerald Pappert.
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A Federal judge has rejected an effort by Elon Musk-backed political action committee (PAC) America Pac to move a civil lawsuit brought by the Philadelphia District Attorney over a daily $1m prize draw for registered voters to federal court. The judge determined that the District Attorney’s motives are irrelevant, and his office could bring the case to state court. The lawsuit aims to halt the scheme in Pennsylvania and claims that a call for voters in battleground states to provide their phone numbers, addresses and emails in exchange for a cash sum and entry into the prize draw is illegal under state law. It also claims that the PAC and Musk breached state consumer protection laws by making misleading statements. Commentators have suggested that by alleging multiple winners turned up at Trump rallies, the District Attorney is arguing that winners are not chosen randomly as claimed.
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A video purported to depict voter fraud in Georgia has been debunked as fake and stated to be the product of “Russian influence actors” by U.S. intelligence officials. They warned that attempts to undermine the upcoming elections may persist, with Russia expected to create and release further media content that looks to undermine trust in the integrity of the U.S. electoral system. The video, developed by Russian disinformation network Storm-1516 (aka CopyCop), claimed to show a Haitian immigrant intending to vote multiple times using several fake Georgia IDs. The original video has since been taken offline but versions continue to be shared. Intelligence chiefs announced that another manufactured video falsely accusing someone associated with the Democratic candidate of taking a bribe from a U.S. performer has also been attributed to Russia.
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Matt Underwood 
John Q. Hosedrinker