# Election Day \[Week\]\[Month\[s\]\] \[Year\] 2020 follow-along thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618 "2020-11-03T05:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 392
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7836 "2020-12-14T19:20:22Z")
I would like to think that it is not possible for a group of semi-literate meth heads (for example) to get together in a crack house and cast some pretend Electoral Votes which could then be sent to Pence in a filthy shit-stained envelope, wherein he would be forced to “consider” these as the possible REAL Electoral votes from the state. I mean, there has to be an actual vetting of EV’s so you don’t have to consider a proposal from some mental defectives in a state (for example) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7837 "2020-12-14T19:20:52Z")
Voting machine company Smartmatic has issued legal notices and retraction demand letters to Fox News, Newsmax and One America News Network, demanding they stop claiming their voting machines were used corruptly. > **[Voting machine company Smartmatic demands conservative networks retract...](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/530080-smartmatic-files-retraction-demands-with-conservative-networks-over-election/)** > > Florida-based electronic voting system company Smartmatic on Monday demanded three conservative media outlets retract their claims that its machines had flipped votes to President-elect J… , ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7838 "2020-12-14T19:26:39Z")
The more things change…It was just about 15-16 years ago, wasn’t it?, when liberals were all up in arms over Diebold voting machines and the certainty that they were being used for fraudulent purposes, and the right was talking about how such a thing could never happen and voting machines were perfectly safe. Now the argument has completely shifted, with conservatives certain that voting machines are a serious problem and the left defending their accuracy. People are funny. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7839 "2020-12-14T19:27:22Z")
Michigan is voting now and it seems to be moving along smoothly. It is closed down due to threats of violence. Inside looks calm, of course. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7840 "2020-12-14T19:28:36Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Now the argument has completely shifted, with conservatives certain that voting machines are a serious problem and the left defending their accuracy. The argument at the time was before voting, that such machines could be subject to hacking. And that was very much true. But back then there were no evidence-free arguments **after the fact** that hacking had occurred, which is what we see now. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7841 "2020-12-14T19:29:37Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I would like to think that it is not possible for a group of semi-literate meth heads (for example) to get together in a crack house and cast some pretend Electoral Votes which could then be sent to Pence in a filthy shit-stained envelope, wherein he would be forced to “consider” these as the possible REAL Electoral votes from the state. > > I mean, there has to be an actual vetting of EV’s so you don’t have to consider a proposal from some mental defectives in a state (for example) Based on a plain reading of the law he would. According to one cite I found, in the past the VP has presented returns that were obviously a practical joke – everyone had a good laugh then they got on with the business of counting the actual electors. But I wouldn’t be surprised if in the past the VP has simply discarded any documents sent in by obvious cranks. Of course, this was back when this was all a formality and you could have a little fun with your colleagues without endangering the Republic. But even if Pence does have greater discretion to ignore the renegade Georgia electors’ votes, politically its in his interest to open and present them to the joint session to show how he’s fighting for his boss. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7842 "2020-12-14T19:31:30Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > The more things change…It was just about 15-16 years ago, wasn’t it?, when liberals were all up in arms over Diebold voting machines and the certainty that they were being used for fraudulent purposes, and the right was talking about how such a thing could never happen and voting machines were perfectly safe. > > Now the argument has completely shifted, with conservatives certain that voting machines are a serious problem and the left defending their accuracy. > > People are funny. Did the leader of Smartmatic pledge to deliver electoral votes to the Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7843 "2020-12-14T19:41:34Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > It was just about 15-16 years ago, wasn’t it?, when liberals were all up in arms over Diebold voting machines and the certainty that they were being used for fraudulent purposes, and the right was talking about how such a thing could never happen and voting machines were perfectly safe. > > Now the argument has completely shifted, with conservatives certain that voting machines are a serious problem and the left defending their accuracy. One thing that’s changed is that a lot of states changed their machines, and many more states now have a paper ballot involved in the system so that the vote can actually be checked. Which, I note, it has been. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7844 "2020-12-14T19:44:11Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The electors in each state send one of their certified copies of the vote to the attention of the President of the Senate (ie Mike Pence), by registered mail. It’s a bit funny that the process requires votes to be delivered by mail, whereas in the General, widespread mail voting fraud was not evident as claimed by Republicans, while for the EC Republican mail fraud is being attempted right out in the open. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7845 "2020-12-14T19:45:42Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > It was just about 15-16 years ago, wasn’t it?, when liberals were all up in arms over Diebold voting machines and the certainty that they were being used for fraudulent purposes, and the right was talking about how such a thing could never happen and voting machines were perfectly safe. > > Now the argument has completely shifted, with conservatives certain that voting machines are a serious problem and the left defending their accuracy. > > People are funny. Yeah, isn’t it funny that both sides are _exactly_ the same and equally corrupt? I mean, who cares who you vote for or even if you vote at all! It’s turtles all the way down… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7846 "2020-12-14T19:53:54Z")
Michigan’s 16 electors just voted for Joe Biden, and now they’re collecting the VP ballots. So in a couple minutes, they’ll give 16 votes to Kamala Harris for veep. ETA: 16 EVs for Harris. All the contested states have now given all their EVs for Biden and Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7847 "2020-12-14T19:55:36Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > The argument at the time was before voting, that such machines could be subject to hacking. Let’s also not conflate the issue of vote _counting_ machines vs. electronic voting machines (particularly those without paper receipts). There is no significant problem with counting machines, even with the possibility of them being hacked, because any problems will show up in an audits and hand recounts. It’s essentially impossible to pull off any electronic fraud when the machines are just tallying up the paper ballots. A 100% electronic voting machine is a very different story. There is no stack of paper ballots to inspect. And the machines are typically closed-source, so there is no way even to audit the source code of the machine. Fully electronic voting is a bad thing. Even if you don’t have evidence of hacking, you simply can’t _trust_ it. But counting machines are no problem whatsoever, as long as basic precautions are used. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7848 "2020-12-14T19:55:52Z")
And that is it for disputed states (AZ, GA, MI, WI, NV, PA) (there was also a suit in MN, which also has voted) Biden is at 199 as I type this (according to the CNN tracker) Brian ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7849 "2020-12-14T19:59:09Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > There is no significant problem with counting machines, even with the possibility of them being hacked, because any problems will show up in an audits and hand recounts. It’s essentially impossible to pull off any electronic fraud when the machines are just tallying up the paper ballots. > > A 100% electronic voting machine is a very different story. There is no stack of paper ballots to inspect. And the machines are typically closed-source, so there is no way even to audit the source code of the machine. QFT . ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7850 "2020-12-14T20:16:31Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Biden is at 199 as I type this (according to the CNN tracker) 202-174 now for Biden. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7851 "2020-12-14T20:41:01Z")
229-181 for Biden. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7852 "2020-12-14T20:46:13Z")
Trump will (temporarily) pull closer shortly, as Texas is apparently in the midst of its vote. That’ll last for about 2 hours, until California does its voting at 5pm Eastern. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7853 "2020-12-14T20:47:32Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Trump will (temporarily) pull closer shortly, as Texas is apparently in the midst of its vote. As far as I can tell, all votes are going as expected and required. There really is no suspense (or at least there should not be) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7854 "2020-12-14T20:48:41Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > As far as I can tell, all votes are going as expected and required. Same here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the more ill-informed of Trump’s supporters get all excited about the lead narrowing. “There’s still a path to victory!” ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/7855 "2020-12-14T20:48:50Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Michigan’s 16 electors just voted for Joe Biden, and now they’re collecting the VP ballots. So in a couple minutes, they’ll give 16 votes to Kamala Harris for veep. > > ETA: 16 EVs for Harris. All the contested states have now given all their EVs for Biden and Harris. That’s what I like to hear. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=391) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=393)