By Kate Deming
By creating unauthorized ballot drop boxes in key congressional districts that appear to be “official,” is the California Republican party breaking the law? The California GOP doesn’t think so. This is one example of voter suppression that has been ongoing throughout this and previous elections.
The unofficial ballot drop boxes, planted in four different California counties, were posted on Twitter by a member of the California Republican Party in early October. This led many voters to drop off their completed ballots in a ballot box that deceivingly stated “Official” on the front. These completed ballots according to the GOP are being turned into election officials, but they have yet to provide proof of such. Ballot drop boxes are key in this election due to the large anticipated voter turnout along with the risks of voting in person during a pandemic. In order for a ballot box to be official, it must be authorized by county election officials. Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California at Irvine explained what he believed to be the motivations behind these boxes; “Republicans are in a tough spot…On one hand, you have the President, who is criticizing vote-by-mail and says it is prone to fraud. On the other hand, Republicans in California have long relied on a strong vote-by-mail operation to get out the Republican vote.”
Pictured: Unauthorized Republican Ballot Drop Box
The attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra, sent a cease and desist letter against the GOP, ordering them to remove their boxes, calling them “fake.” The Republican party refused to do so, only complying to taking the word “official” off their boxes. A Republican party representative, Hector Barajas, after receiving a subpoena for additional information concerning the ballots stated, “This is an abuse of power. The California Republican Party responded and objected to the attorney general’s subpoenas on numerous grounds, including the right to privacy…We will stand up to this type of authoritarian bullying tactics.”
Barajas claims the California Republican Party’s actions are, in fact, legal because in the state of California, third parties are allowed to collect completed ballots. On the other side, California Democrats believe that it is illegal because the state of California clarifies that only election officials, not parties, can collect completed ballots. Currently, the attorney general’s investigation is ongoing, but the ballot drop boxes are still in place.
Another irregularity in this election is the recruitment of poll watchers by the Trump Administration and other Pro-Trump organizations. These Trumpian poll watchers are said to be standing by polling sites to intimidate and scare off in-person voters. President Trump stated at one of his rallies, “I’m urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully.”
The laws regarding poll watchers differ in each state. In California, there was an official statement by the Secretary of State, Alex Padilla, who informed voters that Poll watchers can only literally watch voters at polling sites. Poll watchers are not permitted to speak to voters or block and interfere with entrance into the polling site. But in Arkansas, it is permitted for poll watchers to be armed. Eleven other states permit poll watchers to be armed as well. However, many polling sites are located in government-owned properties, like schools, where you cannot be armed.
The LREI community has been fiercely combating voter suppression, by creating a school wide initiative, the Democracy Project, to take action as well educating the community on the process of the upcoming election, urging people to get out to vote. A member of the Democracy Project, LREI Senior Josh Sapira, stated that “it’s important for young people to get involved in their futures. We are at a crossroads right now in this country and everyone should do their part to make this country a better place for everyone.”
Works Cited:
“California Attorney General Asks Court to Order GOP Cooperation in Ballot Box Investigation.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2020, www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-20/california-attorney-general-gop-republican-ballot-drop-boxes-investigation
White, Jeremy B. “California Wants Court to Force Republicans to Divulge Ballot Box Details.” Politico PRO, 20 Oct. 2020, www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/10/20/california-wants-court-to-force-republicans-to-divulge-ballot-box-details-9424499
Loo, Nancy. “Poll Watcher Recruitment Prompts Concerns of Potential Election Disruption.” ABC27, ABC27, 16 Oct. 2020, www.abc27.com/news/poll-watcher-recruitment-prompts-concerns-of-potential-election-disruption/
Nuckols, Ben. “Can Poll Watchers Carry Guns, and Other Election Day FAQs.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 4 Nov. 2016, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/can-poll-watchers-carry-guns-questions
Keshner, Andrew. “What Is a Poll Watcher and Who’s Allowed to Be One on Election Day? Not Just Anyone.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 18 Oct. 2020, www.marketwatch.com/story/as-trump-calls-for-supporters-to-watch-very-carefully-at-the-polls-what-is-a-poll-watcher-and-who-gets-to-be-one-2020-10-02
Cohen, Marshall. “’It’s Extremely Problematic’: Republicans Inject New Chaos into 2020 Election with Unauthorized Ballot Dropboxes in California.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 Oct. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/10/14/politics/california-dropbox-controversy-explained/index.html.
White, Jeremy B. “California Republicans Spark National Feud over ‘Harvesting’ Ballot Boxes.” Politico PRO, 15 Oct. 2020, www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/10/15/california-republicans-spark-national-feud-over-harvesting-ballot-boxes-1325367
Sprunt, Barbara, et al. “California Eases Off Legal Threats Over GOP Unauthorized Ballot Drop Boxes.” NPR, NPR, 16 Oct. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/10/16/923969669/california-eases-off-legal-threats-over-gop-unauthorized-ballot-drop-boxes
Libby Denkmann in News on October 9, 2020 8:32 AM. “Poll Watchers Are Allowed In California. Here Are The Do’s And Don’ts.” LAist, laist.com/2020/10/09/poll-watchers-election-observers-dos-and-donts-california-rules.php
Inserted picture source: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-subpoenas-elections-california-3a33132b34c88d92a6d6bfc847f415b9
Front picture source: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/world/california-republicans-push-back-in-ballot-drop-box-dispute-509486/