TRUMP’S FAULTY WEAPONIZATION OF VOTER FRAUD IS WORTHY OF ‘CROSS-PARTISAN’ DENUNCIATION
While Social Media Giants Let the President Spread Disinformation, Advocates Across the Country are Punching Back!
Claims that election officials were engaging in fraudulent activity serves no legitimate purpose other than to disrupt efforts to ensure all voters can safely cast ballots in upcoming elections.
Denouncing disinformation is not limited to partisan battles. In fact, such disinformation creates challenges for election administration and voter confidence.
“It makes it harder to communicate that voting by mail is safe and secure,” said Ellen Moorhouse, deputy communications director for RepresentUs, responding to Prism by email.
For Moorhouse, this is not a partisan issue but an American one. “It’s so unfortunate that the concept of voting by mail has become a partisan issue,” she said. “Many states have done this since the ‘90s—and The Washington Post named Colorado the safest state to cast a vote.” In fact, U.S. soldiers have been voting by mail since the Civil War.
Still, as the pandemic rages, there are increasing examples of both Republicans and Democrats looking to combat disinformation and work toward safe elections. Moorhouse points to the newly launched VoteSafe as an example of bipartisan or “cross-partisan” cooperation to address election integrity and combat disinformation. The newly launched VoteSafe is co-chaired by former Michigan Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Ridge. It serves as an independent cross-partisan effort including election officials and organizations.
In an open letter, Granholm and Ridge called on election administrators to take action ahead of November elections. Imploring election officials to avoid political games, Granholm and Ridge expressed that they do not want voters to have to choose between their health and exercising the right to vote. “Your constituents have stepped up to keep their communities safe and stop the spread of Covid-19,” they wrote. “Let’s return the favor and keep them safe as they exercise their fundamental right to vote.”