Matt BlazeJan 13, 2024

This is an interesting look at the mindset and culture of MAGA election deniers and what election officials are up against.

Summary: Trump sympathizer who believed 2020 had fraud became an election official in a community of people with similar views. But his far-right constituents were unhappy with *everything* he did, because they regard every election procedure as *inherently* suspect, every safeguard as *inherently* insufficient. He quit.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/12/politics/arizona-election-director-maga-invs/index

Show threadMatt BlazeJan 13, 2024

Notably, there absolutely *are* some voting technologies, such as DRE machines, that are inherently insecure. But the complaints here had nothing to do with any actual security problems or principles. They objected to paper ballots in absentee voting (a well-established process that has long existed in every state). They objected to voting centers. And so on.

But no discussion of Risk Limiting Audits or other (actually effective) controls that could genuinely improve security.

Show threadMatt BlazeJan 13, 2024
The lesson here seems to be that election denial, at least in these circles, has little to do with any actual demands for improving election integrity, but is more a proxy for a less focused, but extreme, dissatisfaction with and mistrust of government generally.
Show threadMatt BlazeJan 13, 2024
This is definitely consistent with my experience with these communities. You can't engage with them on actually improving elections, because that's not what they're really concerned about.
Show threadMatt BlazeJan 13, 2024
Anyway, please be extra nice to election officials. They have an essential job that's difficult under even the best circumstances, but right now they're being forced to put up with more bullshit than anyone should have to see in a lifetime.
Show threadMatt BlazeJan 13, 2024
I suspect that elections (and election workers) are almost a random scapegoat for the grievances, real or imagined, of the MAGA crowd. Trump just happened to point them at elections, and election workers have the misfortune of being in the crosshairs. It could almost as easily been, say, teachers or road workers or fire fighters on the receiving end of all this directed anger. (And teachers certainly have gotten a share of it).
Show threadSusan Romano For Harris
@mattblaze teachers, librarians, hospital workers, poll workers, postal workers….
Jan 13, 2024 at 1:41pmWeb