Matt BlazeFeb 26

Another somewhat breathless article positing a planned executive-branch takeover of elections, this time declaring a "national emergency".

There's no telling what Trump might include in an executive order, but whether he can actually carry any of these sweeping proposals out (constitutionality aside) is another story altogether.

The midterms are less than 9 months away, which is simply not enough time to extensively alter voting tech or procedures.

https://wapo.st/3N5cpEn

Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency

Activists who say they are in coordination with the White House are circulating a draft executive order that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting.

The Washington Post
Show threadMatt BlazeFeb 26
The supposed draft order (which apparently was written by MAGA activists, not the WH itself) calls for eliminating "voting machines" and no-excuse mail-in voting. "Voting machines" isn't defined, but presumably means electronic ballot tabulators, which are used in some form almost everywhere. And mail-in voting has become either the primary voting method or a very popular one in many states.
Show threadMatt BlazeFeb 26
Anyway, I don't think wild arm-flapping is a particularly useful response to this nonsense. Better, I think, to respond to specific proposals and orders rather than vague right-wing wish lists.
Show threadJason Lefkowitz

@mattblaze Yeah. My first thought is that this plot (if a plot it is) has dropped at a really weird time: too late to ride on Trump's immediate post-election seeming invulnerability; too soon to work as an excuse to occupy polling places at the last minute by surprise.

Of course all the people involved in these things are totally incompetent, so you can't rule out that they wanted it to come sooner or later but couldn't get their act together to make it happen

Feb 26 at 8:18pmWeb