I thought I'd create a thread that deals with this year's elections, both for the US Congress and other elections going on, like GA and FL governors, and state assemblies. In my home state of NC, we are trying to (at least) break the GOP supermajority so our gov gets his veto power back.
If you look at voting trends since Reagan in the midterm elections, voters tend to vote for checks and balances. That, coupled with the unprecedented energy, leans us blue for the house at least; the math for the senate makes it quite challenging. Voter manipulation has become strategic and vicious. Gerrymandering and voter suppression is rampant, but how does it match the determination and enthusiasm of Democratic voters? Overwhelming "blue" votes might be the only thing to break these manipulations.
I have some intuitions, but they get easily mixed up with my own optimism, so I'm not much help here. I look forward to hearing the thoughts and impressions you all have.
- q
Im some places, GA for instance, I dont think democratic enthusiasm is enough to overcome massive voter suppression. My thoughts on this are if this is what has come out, how much more is happening behind the scenes that hasnt been found or reported yet? Also, the massive gerrymandering will leave a few rep districts unable to be won by democrats no matter the turnout. In my district in Wisconsin, its really bad. We bought our house from dedicated republicans(between the Nazi photos and Rush Limbaugh taped shows we found in the attic, we were convinced that to be true) and as soon as we voted the first election we were here, the next year, both us and a neighbor 2 doors down were redistricted to a democratic district, yet the house between was not.
Thanks for making this thread, q. I'm in NC too, btw.
I've also been questioning some of my timeline visions and intuitions against my general optimism. Though as I write this, I'm being nudged to say that it's important that we hold positive potentials aloft together. Not naively (lower vibrations are always going to work hard to make their own timelines real), but because doing so is a collaborative act of creation. It holds us in resonance; helps ensure any negative outcomes are less negative; and, when enough of us work together, has the power to generate very positive changes, very quickly.
In that spirit—and while I confess it's not looking so good for GA considering—that state has a seriously energized Democratic base and an empowered Black middle-class. They're working hard throughout the state to overcome the flagrant voter suppression they face, which, btw, we all know ain't nothing new. It's just another day in hundreds of years of collective racial trauma. I see a golden-pink light over the capital there, so I'm giving them a chance.
Regarding the midterms overall, I've been concerned by the lack of attention paid to Russian influence. The GOP had an opportunity to help pass legislation to defend our elections, and they smugly refused. There hasn't been enough media attention paid to this, and after Nov. 6 will be too late. I sense there could be at least one recount in a major state (or just a big one...Texas?).
In the past two weeks, I've been wondering whether "the blue wave" isn't somehow (inadvertently) associated with a potential tsunami event I've been seeing for several years (about 12). Not sure on timeline. It could be connected to a very large earthquake or a Volcanic eruption somewhere in the Atlantic ocean. I don't know where, but clearly this isn't the thread for it and I've gotten a little sidetracked... 'Scuse me.
I love hearing how many people on here are from red states. So many times we get drawn into black and white thinking. A group is all bad or all good. I see little points of light all over the map. Awesome.
it's important that we hold positive potentials aloft together. Not naively (lower vibrations are always going to work hard to make their own timelines real), but because doing so is a collaborative act of creation. It holds us in resonance; helps ensure any negative outcomes are less negative; and, when enough of us work together, has the power to generate very positive changes, very quickly.
I agree. We need to understand what we are up against - that's the dark stuff we see -- and then we need to know that we can push through that darkness with our light.
it's important that we hold positive potentials aloft together. Not naively (lower vibrations are always going to work hard to make their own timelines real), but because doing so is a collaborative act of creation. It holds us in resonance; helps ensure any negative outcomes are less negative; and, when enough of us work together, has the power to generate very positive changes, very quickly.
I agree. We need to understand what we are up against - that's the dark stuff we see -- and then we need to know that we can push through that darkness with our light.
If I could make a special request, could everyone who is inclined hold up Ammar Campa-Najjar in your thoughts, meditations, and prayers?
He is running for Congress here in my (and Laura F's) district against indicted criminal Duncan Hunter. Hunter and his cronies have ramped up the tenor of their horrible attacks on Campa-Najjar over the last few days, falsely accusing him of being a muslim terrorist out to secretly infiltrate the U.S. government.
Campa-Najjar is doing an excellent job at trying to keep things positive, but the attacks have gotten so extreme that I am very worried that some crazy person may try to physically harm him.
So, if you are so inclined, please put a protective light around Ammar Campa-Najjar over the next three weeks in your thoughts and prayers. I thank anyone willing to do this, and I will put a few articles below so you can understand how the dark forces are attacking him. Thank you.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/17/race-baiting-roils-ca-contest-involving-indicted-gop-rep-hunter.html
Hey Rosieheart - I don't live in that district, I'm over here in Carolyn Davis'.... anyhoo I'm headed to El Cajon tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) to do some canvassing for Campa-Najjar. He's 10 points behind - so I'm going to ask anyone who can to consider contributing $ in addition to holding him up in your thoughts. And Rosieheart if you want to join us, email me ...
Hi All,
I hesitated to post about this for a couple of days, but I think it is important to put it out there as anecdotal evidence of possible monkey business going on during voting for the midterms.
My two adult sons and I are overseas voters who vote in the state of Georgia (as it was my last residence before moving overseas). We have participated regularly and jump through the hoops that the government sets up to be eligible to vote in Federal elections. We have to register yearly to be eligible. I mailed absentee votes for the son that lives at home and me on the 4th of October.
When I checked online to see if the ballots had been received, it said that mine had arrived on the 6th and was accepted (not very likely, as it normally takes a week for mail to get there - 2 days would be a new record!) and that my son’s ballot has not arrived. I reported this to the voter registration people and they forwarded it to the person in charge of voting for the state. I have not heard back yet, but will follow up as I believe that it is especially important to vote and be counted this year.
It may be that something has just gone wrong, but in a year in which voter suppression has been documented repeatedly, it gives me an uneasy feeling.
Added to that, my other son received a semi-literate email message earlier in the year purportedly from the voter registration people asking to confirm my email - which was very strange. I forwarded it to the voter registration people at the time and asked if it was legitimate but they did not answer. I’ll update here if and when I hear something back from them.
Baba, I mentioned in another thread tonight that there is already reporting coming in from Georgia related to early mail-in/absentee ballots. In particular, a high number of mail-in paper ballots for Gwinnett County, which has the highest diversity in the state, are reportedly being tossed out by officials there.
Thanks for that, Vestralux.
According to the ACLU, Georgia voting officials have the right to reject any absentee ballot that they believe do not have matching and therefore deemed invalid ballots.
The problem is that those doing the selective tossing have had no training in signature recognition or validation and no standard or unifying instructions.
And as links are a great help for validity here's the link to my referencing.
The ACLU has already filed a "due process violation" lawsuit :
To throw out someone’s ballot — without any prior notice or chance to appeal — is a clear due process violation. That’s why we, with the ACLU of Georgia, are suing Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and all county registrars on behalf of the Georgia Muslim Voter Project, an organization that will have to divert voter turnout resources into educating the public about the risk of being disenfranchised over handwriting.
With midterms only 19 days away, there is no time to waste. We’re asking the court to order Georgia to give impacted voters the opportunity to confirm their identity or otherwise resolve the alleged discrepancy before their ballots are rejected. The court has set a hearing date of Tuesday, Oct. 23.
Yes, Baba - we are hearing here on the ground in the US that with Georgia's new rules demanding "exact match" of signatures, they are essentially tossing any ballots they want to for "poor penmanship". Very ironic when one considers that over the last decade or so, we've all learned to NOT sign things the same way every time to help protect from identity fraud. My hubby has taken to drawing an abstract butterfly when asked to sign things... I suggest you contact the ACLU of Georgia and see if you can actually be a resource to them - they'll need witnesses.
I have written directly to the person in charge, now that I know who it is and emphasized that time is short and that I am paying attention to this. I am out of town for a few days and if they haven’t responded by then, I will report it to the ACLU and anyone else that I can think of who might be able to light a fire under their bottoms in order to get clarity and have our votes count.
Has anyone else felt for the last several days like something big is building? It certainly is a trying time to be an empath!
Sadly, just in the last hour, I received an email from the local consulate telling us overseas voters that they are hearing about widespread issues with overseas Americans not being able to access their state’s voter resources or download ballots due to geoblocking and giving instructions on what to do if that is the case. Luckily, that was not a problem for us. Additionally, the following article was just posted on The Hill: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/412195-georgia-purged-more-than-100000-people-from-voter-rolls-because-there-didnt
More voter suppression in Georgia apparently...?
This level of voter suppression is appalling but not surprising. As Bright Opal got in her channelled message last September, people have to Fight! Fight! Fight! This means that more pe0ple have to do as Baba is doing - fight to have their votes counted. And drive that elderly neighbor to the polls on Election Day.
So everyone knows - LYFT is offering free rides to polls on election day for anyone who needs them. Not sure about Uber...
Baba - besides ACLU, contact the League of Women Voters , and also the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights - they have a Voting Rights program and in fact are also starting litigation: https://lawyerscommittee.org/project/voting-rights-project/
Please also reach out to ProPublica (aka the only truly independent news org in the US) - they want to know about this stuff - this is for anyone who is experiencing difficulty voting up to and through election day (and after, too):
https://www.propublica.org/article/voters-help-us-report-on-voting-problems-during-the-midterm-elections
https://www.propublica.org/article/voter-purges-what-georgians-heading-to-the-polls-need-to-know
ProPublica is doing great work. I've participated in interviews for a couple of their articles. The journalists are wonderful, what's funny is I don't think most of them view themselves as light warriors, but they certainly are!
Can we get a read on what everyone is seeing for Nov 6 results? I keep seeing some progress in the House, but not a true blue wave...
I'd also suggest that everyone take a moment right now to verify that your name has not been dropped from the voting registration system. It's easy to do this. Just go to this site, look up your state's voter registration office (listed at the bottom of the page), and you'll be able to check that your registration is still current.
https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/
Don't assume that you are still registered to vote. In 2016, my son had been registered to vote at the same address for 10 years and had voted in other elections with no problem. When he showed up to vote in 2016, he was told at the polling station that his name was no longer on the rolls (and yes, he was at the correct polling station). While he was allowed to cast a provisional ballot he had to go through the steps of re-registering to get his name back on voter registration rolls. He was never able to find out why he had been dropped from the voter registration system.
It only takes a few moments to check that you are registered. Do this today to avoid any surprises on election day.
Very good advice Rosie. I went to vote in the primary and was told I wasnt registered yet my wife still was. When asked how this happened, they said they kick off those who didnt vote in the previous election(wife and I both did....together) so if what I was told was true, my vote was thrown out and I was never notified.
The more love you give, the more love you have. When you light someone else’s torch with your own, you don’t lose your fire, you just make more light and more heat.”
- Natalie Portman, actress & activist
Thanks to all of you for all the useful advice concerning this election. I have learned so much in the last couple of years about things I once just took for granted.
The above quote was from an email I received about this year’s Variety Power of Women luncheon. Natalie Portman put into words what I have been feeling. We need to bring all our matches to this bonfire. I was wondering if anyone would like to commit to taking maybe five minutes each day until the election to ask the angels, guides, universe, or whatever your beliefs are for protection for the candidates, campaign workers, voters and the election itself. Then imagine light across America. Also ask that blinders fall off of our fellow citizen’s eyes so that they can see through the smoke screen. Don’t ask for harm to others as that makes your prayer into a hex. Just that justice and light will prevail. Maybe put a sticky note by your bed or on the bathroom mirror to remind you.
Rosie, thank you so much for posting this. I just checked and it says I am NOT registered, which is absolutely not the case.
When I showed up to vote in the 2008 presidential election, my name had somehow been removed, though my partner—who was living at my address and was new to the state at the time—was able to vote. I'd been a resident of South Carolina for eight years at the time, and had waited in line for a long time to cast my vote, only to discover I was unable to do so. When I was leaving I noticed a fairly sizable group of people gathering in the parking lot. They were all disgruntled over the very same thing, but they shared something else in common. All of these turned-away voters were African Americans. I'm white, but I'd always voted as a Democrat. What's more, I'd been very openly supporting LGBTQ referendums.
I have no way to know whether there was direct sabotage in that instance; my experience was purely anecdotal. But voter suppression is a fact. (And of course, South Carolina has always been a hotbed for it.)
Oh, Laura!
This is wonderful and incredibly helpful for anyone reading here and needing these kinds of newsworthy links or information!
It's incredible to have a lawyer and several others who all work in the legal aide or the legal system conrinuing to post your tips,advice or suggestions on this site!
Many thanks to all of you whether you're working with immigration, or with the resistance movements or with people desperately needing your help and expertise!