Is there voter suppression on DU?

[Dream Girl]

For some time, I’ve noticed that when someone posts positive poll numbers, the first out seems to be - “Itdoesnt matter, they’re gonna steal it anyway. I can’t decide if these posts are intentionally designed to discourage us from voting, but I’m getting more and more suspicious. Some just posting “It’s October and the GOP has already stole the the election“ or some such. There was no other content or supporting points, just “they’re gonna steal it” I’m all for being clear eyes and realistic but some of theses posts are bordering on voter suppression. If you have information that is concerning, by all means share it but I’m really starting to wonder about these kind of OPs.

[redstatebluegirl]

1. I don't think so. I don't believe polls, we have to GOTV, all of the vote!

Just because someone doesn't like the polls being seen as gospel doesn't mean we want to suppress the vote. I just don't want people to think we have it in the bag and stay home. If they do, we get 4 more years of Trump, if the republic can last that long.

With that said, there are always more trolls this close to the election, last time they shut us down on election day.

[Demsrule86]

13. No...with some every bit of good news is met with doom and gloom.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Absolutely. One of the strongest ways to suppress turnout is to dispirit voters.

Thos is what Trump is doing. He wants Democrats to think it's hopeless be a if they do, they might be less inclined to vote.

[C_U_L8R]

3. Every party has a pooper.

We've got a beautiful spectrum from sunny optimists to dour cynics. For the most part, all mean well. The rightwing ratfuckers that show up now and then tend to be more obvious because they crave the high of instant results.

[Jirel]

4. I doubt it, but they still need to cut it out.

Some people express their anxieties by saying gloom and doom things. It makes them feel better, but it also demoralizes others. Maybe one or more is a troll, but all? Nah.

What they should be doing is focusing on the prize. Stolen election? Not if the gap can be opened up wide enough. Stop complaining and put up some more signs, get people to be out and proud for Joe and Kamala (SO much unfounded fear of retaliation going on right now, that some won’t even do a bumper sticker!), give money... DO something against the fear.

[Caliman73]

5. It is a combination, in my opinion.

There are some folks here who have a higher post count who are known, who just feel discouraged and voice that. Then, there are people who are newer, who jump on and try to blast the Democrats for not fighting hard enough, or who, as you said, think that the election is sown up by cheating so ... why bother and encourage that pessimism that has been more pronounced.

I think that a lot of people on DU are scared and traumatized by the last 3+ years. We all realize how fragile our "institutions" are in the face of people who do not care about rules, customs, and tradition. People who have no integrity or honor. Some of us are beat down.

It is a combination. I think the admins and moderators or response teams are likely working overtime to make sure there is not an overt infiltration of trolls. We are a diverse group here and don't always agree on tactics and tone. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out if someone is having a rough day, or if they are deliberately trying to get people down. The only thing we can to is pay attention to patterns. If the same posters are always making disparaging remarks about Biden or the Democratic Party's chances in the election, it is worth a look by a jury, or perhaps a private message to one of the moderators to be vigilant.

[qwlauren35]

21. Thanks....

I've been with DU since Kerry. I am TERRIFIED about this election. Absolutely terrified. But I am absolutely voting, telling others to vote, sharing ads, donating. I've sent for my ballot, I found my drop box. I'm good.

Because of my very strong beliefs about voting, I can't imagine letting negativity keep me from the polls. But I guess there are some who are already in the "my vote doesn't count" mentality who just need an excuse to push them over the edge. Frankly, I don't think those kinds of people are on DU. As such, I feel as though my negativity does no harm, and that this is a safe place to express it.

If this is not a safe space, where would we go?

[Caliman73]

29. I hear you.

I have the same concerns, but you are right. If 95 million of us decide, "You know what? Try to steal the election from us" and go out to vote, it will overwhelm everything and they will not be able to do it. If enough of us buy into that fear, then there is a chance. Trump won the EC (I don't like to say "won" more like took) by something like 80,000 votes across 4 states. He lost the popular vote by almost 3 million. We need to send a message. Not even necessarily that we prefer Biden (though we should and do) but that we aren't going to allow people to take our decision making away from us by hook or crook.

DU is a place full of people. It is mostly a great place for discussion, support, and debate. Like any place though, there are going to be people who think and communicate differently. Given that it is a relatively anonymous forum, you are going to have people who misuse and abuse the system and try to make it a less than safe or good place. Part of dealing with it is having a thick skin, and finding posters who you see are consistently good, and engaging with them.

Cheers!

[BamaRefugee]

6. The only poll that matters will be taken on Nov. 3rd.

Everything else is like listening to Sports Talk Radio.

[Dream Girl]

9. A bit trite don't you think? I think we all know these is an election on Nov. 3.

Should people not post polls? What’s you point?

[BamaRefugee]

10. Of course people can post polls. Or consult crystal balls. Tarot cards.

I'm just saying that until the game is played, no one actually knows the outcome.
There's no use in getting upset about them whether they're for or against your candidate.

[Dream Girl]

15. No is saying they know the outcome. You do understand how polling worked don't you?

In case you don’t it’s a measure of sentiment. A bit more scientific than “taro cards and crystal balls”.

[BamaRefugee]

17. Let me think...I cast my first vote in 1970...yeh, pretty sure I know how it works AND I happen to

remember a lot of "sentiment", gee, seems like only maybe 3 years ago? 4? that told us we were about to have our first female President.
And are you aware that "sentiment" can change mightily when "undecideds" walk into the voting booth, having told pollsters that for sure they're voting for the Dem, but suddenly visions of dead fetuses begin dancing in front of their eyes and they vote for the other guy?
You're equating the squishy "measurement of sentiment" with the cold hard reality of actual numbers, which is hardly scientific.
Anyway, I am 100% lifetime Democratic voter, why are you attacking me over "sentiment"? When did you cast your first vote?

[Silent3]

28. That's ridiculously black/white thinking

Just because polls aren’t 100% perfect doesn’t make them interchangeable with crystal balls and tarot cards.

For campaigns, polling is absolutely vital, because resources are always limited, and polls are an important tool for knowing how to allocate those resources.

For everyone else, many are just keenly interested in how a very important event is shaping up. Absolute perfection is not needed to satisfy that.

And even for the typical voter, not a member of a campaign (or yet a member) it might help them decide where to donate or volunteer.

[Sogo]

7. That post got alerted and reviewed by a jury.

I haven't noticed if it was taken down....

[Groundhawg]

8. Absolutely. This is why we depend on the MIR team.

[Demsrule86]

11. Yes I consider that voter suppression...

[BannonsLiver]

12. I think a lot of it is 2016 PTSD

And people who don’t care anything about data or are afraid of data (see: response 1 in this thread). And of course, people who are generally accompanied by a rain cloud of doom.

[TheRealNorth]

20. In my experience, some people don't have a firm grasp on probability

people look at a 25% chance of a Trump win and think a Biden win is in the bag. I look at it and see it as the chance of getting tails twice on two coin flips.

[BannonsLiver]

23. Absolutely agree.

Still, I like to read news and views on polling from other posters without having a bunch of people hijacking threads as they work through their 2016 PTSD. I’m not really here for that, and can walk and chew gum anyway. In fact on GOTV, I’ve already voted, as have many others here.

[Sunsky]

14. Yes.

No matter what their motivation is for posting such doom and gloom messages, no matter what is their post count, the result is the same = Demoralizing Democratic voters. Whoever sends such a message is no friend of the Democratic party.

[TheRealNorth]

18. I don't know

I think though we should be aware of what the Republicans are trying to do, and not be too comfortable with polls that show us in the lead.

Look at what happened in 2016- the shock and (in some case) demoralization that occurred because we thought we had that election in the bag. I think that is worse because you don't have any idea of what went wrong.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

19. There is much more voter encouragement than suppression.

GOTV message is everywhere on DU.

[Dream Girl]

33. That's definitely true.

[cwydro]

22. "Has already stole the election" is such bad grammar I'd pay it no mind.

[Dream Girl]

26. That was my typo. I have visual impairments..it hould have read "he's already stolen..."

Happy for you that you get so much glee out of spotting a typo. Eagle eyes indeed!

[cwydro]

30. I assumed you were quoting a trumper, but if you want to take offense...feel free.

You did have it in quotes.

Oh my.

[Dream Girl]

32. Sorry about lashing out.

I had a stroke earlier this year and made tons of typos at first. I've got much better but I still can't really see what I'm typing...

[cwydro]

34. No worries.

I thought you were quoting a trumper. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[brooklynite]

24. A good conspiracy theory is hard to resist....

"They" always have the ability to steal votes (except of course in the races we win in the same location the next time around)

[Fiendish Thingy]

25. Lots of concern trolls flooding into DU

I think lots of RWNJ’s from now-defunct Discussionist site think they are so crafty stirring up shit on DU.

[Cadfael]

27. I tend to agree with you

I’m viewing some of the posting regarding “stealing the election” through the prism of attempted voter suppression...some of the cheating talk is probably coming from the folks who are just exhausted by tRump and terrified he will find some way to grab power for more than his legal term. No matter the motivation behind such talk we all must VOTE LIKE OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT

[LanternWaste]

31. We've got trolls with various mechanisms to push their agendas.

Watch for those who *consistently* push fear, uncertainty and doubt while discounting the occasional emotional venting. But yeah... you're spot on, as it doesn't really take a genius to see the relevant differences between a sincere concern and a hot-button concern thrown at the wall in hope it sticks.


There are patterns. If you're interested, shoot me a PM and I'll throw out the names of a half a dozen or so trolls that have been booted from the site who were effective, if not good, at what they did to get a better grasp of how it's done. You can use the search function and go down a rabbit hole one morning when you're bored.

It may be within site rules for me to list them here and now, but there are always those itching to alert posts calling trolls what they in fact, are (or were as the case may be).