Lara Trump, RNC co-chair and daughter-in-law of DJT, shares insights into the Republican Party's strategy for the 2024 election amidst ongoing concerns about voter suppression and election integrity. She discusses the shift from "Stop the Steal" to "Protect the Vote" and how lessons from the 2020 election are shaping current tactics. Alongside voting rights expert Ari Berman, they delve into the implications of new voting laws, the historical roots of electoral challenges, and the urgent need for reforms to safeguard democracy.
The Republican Party has adapted its electoral strategies since 2020, focusing on invalidating votes rather than merely suppressing voter turnout.
Recent changes in election laws across several states have introduced mechanisms that empower partisan officials to challenge or disregard legitimate election outcomes.
The historical context of systemic disenfranchisement, especially concerning race and immigration, continues to shape contemporary discussions on voting rights and access.
Deep dives
The Shift in Election Strategy
Since the tumultuous 2020 election, there has been a notable shift in election strategy from the Trumpist Republican Party, moving towards a dual approach of voter suppression and election subversion. Unlike previous tactics focused mainly on preventing people from voting, the party now employs strategies designed to invalidate votes after they have been cast. This shift reveals a calculated effort to not only challenge voting laws but also to create loopholes that can be exploited to disregard legitimate ballots. The consequence of this strategic overhaul carries significant implications for the integrity of upcoming elections, making it critical to understand the mechanisms that have evolved.
Legal and Legislative Changes Post-2020
Numerous states have enacted changes to election laws aimed at tightening control over the voting process, including around certification procedures and the roles of election officials. These changes have largely flown under the radar yet impact the ability of citizens to engage in the democratic process meaningfully. A striking example discussed is the overhaul of Georgia's election certification processes, which potentially allows partisan officials to not certify an election outcome based on selective criteria. Such alterations create an environment ripe for electoral abuse, whereby legitimate votes can be discarded under the guise of maintaining election integrity.
Institutionalizing Voter Suppression
Certain political movements have effectively institutionalized voter suppression tactics, engaging in extensive efforts to alter the framework of electoral rules across multiple states. These initiatives can include funding campaigns to push for stringent voter ID laws and other bureaucratic hurdles that specifically target demographics likely to cast votes for Democrats. In tandem with direct actions such as the recruitment of poll watchers, these strategies seek to create an atmosphere of intimidation and confusion, particularly in urban areas with higher concentrations of voters from marginalized communities. Ultimately, this coordinated effort risks undermining the principle of equitable access to voting for Americans.
Acknowledging the Broader Context of Voting Rights
The conversation surrounding voting rights extends beyond immediate electoral battles to encompass a historical context of systemic inequality and disenfranchisement in America. The narratives intertwined with race relations and immigration continue to influence policies aimed at regulating who can participate in elections. For instance, unfounded claims around non-citizen voting contribute to the creation of oppressive laws that primarily aim to suppress the votes of marginalized communities. By linking these issues, the discussion highlights the importance of recognizing the ideological roots that frame contemporary voting laws.
The Importance of Active Civic Engagement
Encouraging active civic engagement is paramount as the political landscape shifts, with the emergence of direct democracy models showing promise in countering voter suppression efforts. States like Michigan provide a roadmap, demonstrating how grassroots engagement and strategic initiatives can lead to significant electoral changes, resulting in policies that reflect a broader swath of public opinion. By mobilizing around issues such as abortion rights and automatic voter registration, citizens can influence both local and national narratives about voting. The continued push for reform indicates a growing awareness that the fight for equitable representation and voting rights is ongoing and requires sustained effort from the populace.
The 2024 election is already underway, with some states already sending out ballots for mail-in voting. But as democrats are basking in the waning glow of their brat summer, the republican party spent the summer on a “protect the vote” tour, spearheaded by RNC co-chair and DJT daughter-in-law Lara Trump. It’s a pretty clever step — from “Stop the Steal” to “Protect the Vote” — and it’s just one of the lessons the MAGA party learned from the failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election. This week on Amicus: what’s changed in election law since 2020, and what it means for the vote in 2024. Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Ari Berman, Mother Jones' national voting rights correspondent and author of Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People―and the Fight to Resist It.
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