Even passive voter suppression can be effective

[ThoughtCriminal]

The GOP is planning to recruit 50,000 poll watchers to monitor polling places.

We need to understand how even "friendly" non-harassing "poll-monitors" can be very effective in voter suppression with a very simple strategy: Slow the line.

The strategy can be to target polling places in areas with high minority, high Democratic voting. They have already succeeded in reducing the number of polling places in those areas to ensure long lines. Add to that "poll-watchers" that can, by adding just a few extra seconds per voter. With 100-200 voters in line, adding just 30 seconds per voter can extend the wait time by an hour or more. Since most of these voters are also hourly wage-workers, small business owners, and parents with children, that extra time is far more likely to be forced to give up without voting.

We have also seen polling places illegally closed with voters still waiting.

The Democratic party needs to develop local strategies to counter attempts to create long wait times and premature closing of polling places.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Another reason they hate vote by mail...

hard to put armed intimidators in every neighborhood.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. People who hate democracy make it difficult to vote. They love autocracy & plutocracy. . . . nt

[dragonlady]

3. Two Democratic responses

1. Work extremely hard (starting now) to get Democrats signed up for absentee ballots.

2. Get Democrats into polling places as watchers to watch the Republican watchers and complain to the chief poll worker about any undue interference.

[abqtommy]

4. Corollary to your #2: Nice pollwatchers you got there, be a shame if anything happened to them.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

5. Save our USPS! Vote by mail is a threat to all GOP voter suppression efforts.

[Firestorm49]

6. Absolutely! We need to be not only in, but dominant in this fight.

I pray that our party has the smarts not necessarily to match Republican poll efforts, but come up with a better and stronger countermeasure. We need a balls to the wall strategy in every phase of the upcoming election. I haven’t seen much yet but with our democracy on the line, now’s not the time to be thinking about it, now’s the time to be unfolding it. Throw them off track. Send mixed messages that conceal the actual plan. Hit below the belt and smile back.