# 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:** 39
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/761 "2022-11-06T16:44:41Z")
> Unlike most states, Wisconsin allows service members to vote without registering to vote or providing proof of residency. This does sound like something that needs fixing. However, I’m only basing that the part of the article posted above so there may be more to this. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/762 "2022-11-06T18:05:34Z")
It’s not intimidation until someone is dead. Come back to court again with evidence that you’ve been murdered. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/763 "2022-11-07T14:19:28Z")
> **[Republicans sue to disqualify thousands of mail ballots in swing states](https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2022/11/07/gop-sues-reject-mail-ballots/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjYyMDc3NTgiLCJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNjY3ODMwMzU4LCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNjY5MDM5OTU4LCJpYXQiOjE2Njc4MzAzNTgsImp0aSI6IjA1ZDlkYmZlLTY2MmMtNDhkYy05MTYxLTQyNzBhMjUwMGUyOCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9lbGVjdGlvbnMvMjAyMi8xMS8wNy9nb3Atc3Vlcy1yZWplY3QtbWFpbC1iYWxsb3RzLyJ9.5AGJxWZouIlCQvhhH0AG9dkKs0gq0DJQBfjMdOmQaQ8&itid=gfta)** > > The lawsuits coincide with a systemic effort by GOP leaders to persuade voters to cast ballots in person, not absentee. [Gift link] > … > Over the past two years, Republicans have waged a sustained campaign against alleged voter fraud. Experts say the litigation — which could significantly affect Tuesday’s vote — represents a parallel strategy of suing to disqualify mail ballots based on technicalities. While the rejections may have some basis in state law, experts say they appear to go against a principle, enshrined in federal law, of not disenfranchising voters for minor errors. > > The suits coincide with a systematic attempt by Republicans — led by former president Donald Trump — to persuade GOP voters to cast their ballots only on Election Day. Critics argue that the overall purpose is to separate Republicans and Democrats by method of voting and then to use lawsuits to void mail ballots that are disproportionately Democratic. > … Lots of work for lawyers from now on. I was going to say between now and 2024, but this _LAW-lapalooza_ won’t end there. It’s a permanent fixture. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/764 "2022-11-07T16:10:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Critics argue that the overall purpose is to separate Republicans and Democrats by method of voting and then to use lawsuits to void mail ballots that are disproportionately Democratic. Next step is just to disqualify Democrats directly. One-party rule, here we come! ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/765 "2022-11-07T22:33:18Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > “Critics argue that the overall purpose is to separate Republicans and Democrats by method of voting and then to use lawsuits to void mail ballots that are disproportionately Democratic.” --from WaPo, linked above > > Next step is just to disqualify Democrats directly. One-party rule, here we come! - It IS depressing. But our would-be fascist rulers will find it difficult to institute a fully-oppressive system instantly. The white-supremacist 27% or so of the US population will cooperate—but the other 73% is going to resent, dislike, and oppose whatever rationale (likely “Christo-Nationalist”) the would-be absolute rulers try to use. And heck: I’ve seen a lot of photos of college-age people voting (in early voting) and more of them may show up tomorrow. The GOP hasn’t got it locked up yet! > Quotation marks and ‘from WaPo linked above’ added to the embedded quote ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2022, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/768 "2022-11-08T04:19:10Z")
Maybe Mother Nature will keep some of the Republicans home. > **[Election weather: Snow heading for Nevada as tropical storm bears down on...](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/07/election-weather-snow-nevada-storm-florida-00065558)** > > The middle of the country has rain in the forecast, while much of the eastern U.S. has tranquil weather on Tuesday's forecast. > The early snow forecasts forced Republicans — who are increasingly dependent on Election Day turnout from their voters — to push supporters to vote early. > The area of potential wet weather includes Minnesota, Kansas and Oklahoma — three states with competitive races for governor. > In Florida, some of the rain and thunderstorms associated with Nicole — which has a larger wind and precipitation field than most tropical storms — should arrive during the day on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/769 "2022-11-12T02:59:38Z")
Did the Republican War on Voting have less of an impact on this election than we feared? Things like shortening the hours that polls are open, not letting individuals/organizations drive groups to polls, making fewer polling places available in minority neighborhoods, etc. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/770 "2022-11-12T03:13:36Z")
I actually think that was one of the factors in the strong Democratic showing, ironically. People fighting back against all of the Republican shenanigans and making sure their votes counted. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/771 "2022-11-12T17:59:26Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > making fewer polling places available in minority neighborhoods, etc. This is very small and very tiny in the big picture but the polling place out here was at the Community Center for over 30 years. It is a large, old drafty building with LOTS of parking. Everyone knew where to go to vote. This election, it was moved to the local library which is a nice, new, smaller building with very limited parking. I know of several folks who had to go back several times because they couldn’t park on the street and hike to the library due to age and disability. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/772 "2022-11-12T18:10:56Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > This election, it was moved to the local library which is a nice, new, smaller… Our voting was in the usual Lutheran church, but this time we could only use part of it — three rooms, totaling a smaller space than the two big rooms we used in previous elections — because the big room was storing the “Bethlehem play” sets. It took some planning (I’m one of the officials), but it went smoothly. (Parking was the same as before). ---
**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:** [November 12, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/773 "2022-11-12T18:16:43Z")
My voting was in the church down the street, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say that the construction that they were doing on the street outside of it was intended as voter suppression. The fact that they have been doing the construction for months is why I don’t actually believe it was intended that way(along with it actually being a fairly red precinct), but I still wonder why they couldn’t have taken that day off or worked on a different part of the project. It _did_ make getting in and out of the parking lot very difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/774 "2022-11-12T18:57:34Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > making fewer polling places available in minority neighborhoods, etc. > > This is very small and very tiny in the big picture but the polling place out here was at the Community Center for over 30 years. It is a large, old drafty building with LOTS of parking. Everyone knew where to go to vote. > > This election, it was moved to the local library which is a nice, new, smaller building with very limited parking. I know of several folks who had to go back several times because they couldn’t park on the street and hike to the library due to age and disability. The early voting site I went to was also in a new library, and the day I went I had to circle the lot a couple of times before a parking space opened. And that was at 11AM middle of the week, hardly a prime voting time. I drive by that place several times a week and during early voting, the lot was always full or near full. I drove by last Saturday, last day of early voting, and it was packed with lots of people parking on the side of the road that leads to the library lot. The lack of parking would be a bigger issue if this was an Election Day voting site, but I don’t think it is. It seemed mostly fine for early voting, and I was glad to see the turnout. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/775 "2022-11-12T19:14:47Z")
I can certainly understand why the county would want to use their nice new building (with many electrical outlets) instead of paying to rent an older building and run extension cords aka trip hazards all over the place. It just pinged something in the back of my mind is all. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/776 "2022-11-12T19:29:23Z")
Yeah, it seems like that could have been planned for. 🧐 Everyone knew the election was coming…not a sudden, unexpected event. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/777 "2022-11-12T19:49:27Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Yeah, it seems like that could have been planned for. It was, more than likely. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/778 "2024-03-18T20:41:49Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > And out of [Wisconsin](https://goodwordnews.com/wisconsin-lawmaker-sues-to-stop-immediate-military-ballot-count/), there is a lawmaker suing to stop the counting of military ballots. This case is getting started now. > **[Jury trial begins for Kimberly Zapata, accused of fraudulently requesting...](https://www.jsonline.com/picture-gallery/news/2024/03/18/zapata-in-court-accused-of-fraudulent-request-of-absentee-ballots/73015479007/)** > > Jury trial of Kimberly Zapata, the former deputy director of the Milwaukee Election Commission accused of fraudulently requesting absentee ballots. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/779 "2024-03-18T20:44:43Z")
Thanks for the update. “Every accusation is a confession…” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/780 "2024-03-20T01:31:36Z")
What a strange article! It’s a whole bunch of photos from the trial, and below every single one is a description of the people in the picture, then the same pragraph: > [@](#): > > Kimberly Zapata, the former deputy director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, enters court with defense attorney Daniel Adams before her jury trial in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Monday, March 18, 2024. Zapata is accused of fraudulently requesting absentee ballots reserved for members of the military and sending them to GOP state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who is known for embracing conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Next section > [@](#): > > Kimberly Zapata, the former deputy director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, enters court before her jury trial in a Milwaukee County Courthouse in Milwaukee on Monday, March 18, 2024. Zapata is accused of fraudulently requesting absentee ballots reserved for members of the military and sending them to GOP state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who is known for embracing conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The same for all the rest. Not even an establishing pragraph. Clickbait? Filler? Lazy journalism? Or was this just a link to a list of photos? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/781 "2024-03-20T01:57:34Z")
> **[DeSantis’ Election Police Have Largely Flopped in Florida Voter Prosecutions....](https://revealnews.org/article/desantis-election-police-have-largely-flopped-in-florida-voter-prosecutions-a-new-law-aims-to-change-that/)** > > Election deniers’ push to target voters and election officials has only intensified in the four months since the 2022 midterm elections, signaling the most threatening wave of voter suppression in decades. Both DeSantis and Ohio are trying Election police. "I see that you are black, sir, mind stepping over here? Do you have some ID? " 🙄 > **[Florida Republicans increase budget for Ron DeSantis' election police effort](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-gop-raise-budget-ron-desantis-election-police-effort-rcna82487)** > > The Legislature authorized a roughly 20% increase for the office, even as its efforts have been widely criticized and many of the cases have been dismissed. It isnt to catch vote cheaters, it is just to intimidate minority voters. \*That came after an initial round of charges were dropped because judges across the state said that office, which is in charge of enforcement, did not have jurisdiction. \* _Those arrested were mostly low-income minorities, who are now thrown back into the criminal justice system after doing their time for previous offenses._ ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2024, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723/782 "2024-03-20T12:03:18Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > What a strange article! It’s a whole bunch of photos from the trial, and below every single one is a description of the people in the picture, then the same pragraph: Ha, that’s what I get for not reading the entire thing, I read the first part and assumed the rest were captions. It’s not a case I’ve been following too closely. I believe the case was actually on going at that time and I just chalked up the short ‘article’ to mean there was a reporter at the courthouse probably texting updates back to someone writing the article. If you scroll down further, the captions are different for different people. I wonder if that’s all that article really is, just captions for pictures, with the intent of writing the rest of the article later, but the newspaper wanted to get something on their site so people would keep checking back. And, yes, it appears this is the article, containing those captioned pictures. > **[Milwaukee election chief: Former deputy tried to highlight perceived election...](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/03/19/milwaukee-election-chief-says-ex-deputy-wanted-to-expose-gap-in-system/72950617007/)** > > Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall took the stand in the criminal trial of her former deputy Kimberly Zapata. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-war-on-voting-thread/937723.md?page=40)