# The Republican War on Voting Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 11, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723 "2021-03-11T17:30:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/341 "2021-06-04T11:47:24Z")
Well. _Here’s_ an interesting story. I’d love to see corroboration, but the thing is, it’s not at all hard to believe. > [@](#): > > [Wait, now our Arizona voter info is in a secluded Montana cabin?](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/6/3/2033553/-Wait-now-our-Arizona-voter-info-is-in-a-secluded-Montana-cabin) > > Nothing new here, just that some portion of Arizona’s voter information (we don’t know which portions and they ain’t saying) has found its way to a “secure lab” that turns out to be a cabin south of Big Fork, Montana. It’s a gorgeous area, beautiful lake and mountains, just not where I’d expect to find data from the [2020 Arizona election](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/06/03/arizona-audit-maricopa-county-election-data-secure-lab-montana-log-home/7511886002/?utm_source=azcentral-News%20Alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news_alerts&utm_term=news_alert&utm_content=1531AR-E-NLETTER17). > > > A contractor hired by the Arizona Senate is reviewing Maricopa County’s 2020 election data from an undisclosed location in Montana, with no oversight from state or county officials. > > > > Ben Cotton, founder of tech firm CyFIR, a Senate subcontractor, made copies of the county’s election server and other election data and then drove the copies to a “secure lab” in Montana, according to Senate liaison Ken Bennett. > > That lab is a cabin. One thing the _Arizona Republic_ article makes clear is that nothing is clear: _What_ kind of information is there? _Why_ is it there? _When_ is it coming back? _Who_ has access to it? _What_ safeguards are in place to protect it? Just what the holy friggin’ hell is going on? What couldn’t be done _here_ ? Either the Senate doesn’t know or they, Cyber Ninjas, and Ben Cotton aren’t saying. > **[Wait, now our Arizona voter info is in a secluded Montana cabin?](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/6/3/2033553/-Wait-now-our-Arizona-voter-info-is-in-a-secluded-Montana-cabin?utm_campaign=trending)** > > Nothing to see here, just that some portion of Arizona’s voter information (we don’t know which portions and they ain’t saying) has found its way to a “secure lab” that turns out to be a cabin south of Big Fork, Montana. It’s a gorgeous area,... ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/342 "2021-06-04T17:51:07Z")
The straight dope, from the _12 News_ article: > "From Montana taxes, 12 News found that the incorporated address listed for CyTech is Cotton’s home in Montana; however, the registered office for CyTech is in Manassas, Virginia. > > **Where exactly this lab is located is not known.**" ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/343 "2021-06-04T17:57:39Z")
This could help us win the war: > **[Facebook suspends Trump for 2 years, then will reassess](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-government-and-politics-technology-business-f7d165898d2b79e86c9fe15f36384b18)** > > Facebook announced Friday that former President Donald Trump’s accounts will be suspended for two years, freezing his presence on the social network until early 2023, following a finding that Trump stoked violence ahead of the deadly Jan. Hats off to FB, even if their ruling is incredibly tardy. I’ll take it. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/344 "2021-06-04T17:59:16Z")
Trump can sue FB under Florida’s [new social media law](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-florida-social-media-media-business-7202f424f2cbdf71df8fe97c2e8cb61d), which explicitly prohibits banning candidates for elected office during election season. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/345 "2021-06-04T18:01:14Z")
Oh, I think he should. I really do. Not a fight I think he can win, just as I don’t believe Florida’s new law can bind companies from making and enforcing their own rules for participation on their platform. Federal oversight can change that, but I don’t think the State of Florida can. I guess we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/346 "2021-06-04T19:30:22Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Trump can sue FB under Florida’s [new social media law](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-florida-social-media-media-business-7202f424f2cbdf71df8fe97c2e8cb61d), which explicitly prohibits banning candidates for elected office during election season. But he isn’t a candidate, and it isn’t election season. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > Oh, I think he should. I really do. Me, too, because it will hasten the law being found unconstitutional. More #winning for Individual One. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/347 "2021-06-04T19:38:04Z")
What a strange law. So, if I want to violate the terms of service of a social media company (post racist stuff or porn or whatever), all I need to do it throw my hat in the ring for local dog catcher or something? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/348 "2021-06-04T19:45:19Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > What a strange law. Yeah, I think I’ll make a dedicated topic sometime. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/349 "2021-06-04T20:29:13Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > But he isn’t a candidate, and it isn’t election season. What’s a candidate? My understanding is that he’s already declared for the 2024 race. There’s nothing saying how early a candidate can declare, or when election season begins. > [@RitterSport](#): > > What a strange law. So, if I want to violate the terms of service of a social media company (post racist stuff or porn or whatever), all I need to do it throw my hat in the ring for local dog catcher or something? I wonder if that would mean that who a candidate was, and when “election season” was open would end up being more defined. Does seem as though there is nothing to stop us from becoming a nation of perpetual candidates, in order to get around social media restrictions. May be interesting on campaign finance laws as well. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/350 "2021-06-04T20:34:16Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > What’s a candidate? As defined by state law, it involves registering with the relevant body (eg: the FEC or a local supervisor of elections). ~Max ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/351 "2021-06-04T21:53:52Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > As defined by state law, it involves registering with the relevant body (eg: the FEC or a local supervisor of elections). I bet there is a fee (small) for that. And Trump doesn’t have his ‘Charitable’ Foundation to pull from. Gonna be a tough choice for him. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/352 "2021-06-05T21:12:25Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > But he isn’t a candidate, and it isn’t election season. ![](https://media1.tenor.com/images/02c54e9f88d98faceac594448df2f9d8/tenor.gif?itemid=13823200) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2021, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/353 "2021-06-06T03:32:48Z")
Seems to me that Facebook does business nationwide, even world-wide. The Commerce Clause should apply, preventing Florida from trying to regulate Facebook. Only Congress could do that. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/354 "2021-06-06T23:14:04Z")
Joe Munchkin? Sinema? Where are you? Profiles in chickenshit. If there’s one thing I truly admire about the Republicans, it’s that they wear their anti-democratic emblem on their sleeves proudly. You know where they stand. If you vote for them, you know what you’re voting for. Democrats wuss out every time. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/355 "2021-06-07T01:08:24Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Profiles in chickenshit. Without a doubt. These stupid fucks await Republican cooperation like they just woke up today and have no recollection of anything. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/356 "2021-06-07T01:37:00Z")
At some point we’ll have to change the thread title, because a war is when two sides are fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/357 "2021-06-07T04:00:43Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Joe Munchkin? Voting reform is going to be stalled by him. > **[Manchin declares opposition to voting rights bill](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/06/manchin-voting-rights-bill-opposition-492006)** > > The West Virginia Democrat called S.1 “the wrong piece of legislation to bring our country together.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/358 "2021-06-07T15:36:10Z")
Translation: “The West Virginia Republican stooge believes S.1 might slow the destruction of democracy in the USA and must therefore be stopped.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/359 "2021-06-07T18:19:04Z")
On Manchin’s tombstone these words appeared: “My name is Manchin, Wuss of Wusses. Look on my lack of work, ye mighty, and despair.” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/360 "2021-06-07T19:05:13Z")
Re: H.1/S.1… whether or not I think the bill is desirable/not desirable depends on which article I’m reading and who I am talking to. 😕 It’s [886 pages](https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr1/BILLS-117hr1eh.pdf) so I really ought to set time aside to read up before jumping to conclusions. ~Max [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723.md?page=19)