Post-Hoc Election Challenges Undermine Democracy

It’s been sad to see the many lawsuits and many more Twitter attacks on the 2020 General Election — actually, only on the small piece of the ballot that relates to the election of a new President. We are astounded to see three radical Republicans elected in LD-6 — on the same ballot, at the same time, using the same process — but we haven’t run to court yelling fraud. So many Tweets about “auditing” machines and allegations of signature mismatches and illegal voters! If people only knew about the amount of work that goes into running our elections — and bothered to read the Arizona statutes which govern that work — perhaps we’d not have such an after-the-fact outcry. (Although perhaps we would since so many of the criers are disconnected from reality.)

One of our hard-working local Democrats wrote a Letter to the Editor about this:

The actions of many Republican leaders — including in Arizona — in the weeks since Nov. 3 have been profoundly disturbing. The flood of lawsuits and allegations based on flimsy (or zero) evidence of fraud or error has been a tremendous drain of time, energy and resources at a moment when our nation needs to be focused on public health, social justice and environmental crises.

I was privileged to serve as a poll observer in both Yavapai County and Coconino County, during early voting as well as on Election Day. Poll workers, county election officials and our Secretary of State have all carried out a careful, meticulous process with complete integrity. They deserve to be thanked, not denigrated and certainly not threatened with violence or with baseless legal cases.

The current administration’s foot-dragging in recognizing election results and in beginning the transition process wasted valuable time and damaged national security. Dozens of state and federal courts (all the way to the Supreme Court) have had to deal with these unfounded cases. Numerous state Attorneys General (like our own) have violated the ethical precepts of the legal profession to sign on to such efforts as the Texas suit to vacate other states’ election proceedings. Two congressional representatives from Arizona, Rep. Paul Gosar and Rep. Debbie Lesko, also signed on to this shameful attempt to subvert our democratic process.

The GOP-led US Senate has dragged its feet by failing to advance any version of a second relief bill that would assist individuals and families who have been struggling in the face of rampant disease and soaring unemployment. Please urge your elected representatives to get down to the business of serving the people of this country.

LAURA HUENNEKE

https://azdailysun.com/opinion/letters/letter-to-the-editor-republican-leaders-should-learn-how-to-use-their-time-wisely/article_305e0cb9-6015-52a1-ad7a-2581aecb755a.html

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