Election 2020 - Here we go again

User avatar
Upthorn
Posts: 1027
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 5:41 pm
Location: mastodon.social/@upthorn
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Upthorn » Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:37 pm

beatbandito wrote:
Thad wrote:I don't like Biden and I don't like Harris. But I'm solidly in the "we have to stop the bleeding before we can treat the cancer" camp this election.

I'm in no position to say that Trump isn't a worse choice, I just think Biden/Harris is akin to saying "the problem is the bleeding and now it's stitched back up" when we're so close to getting to the source of the bleeding while the cut is still open.


I was given a lot of hope recently when I was listening to Well There's Your Problem, and they were talking about how much they hate FDR
They were saying people give him a lot of credit for ending the depression and all that, but really, he just did the bare minimum progressivism to avoid having an angry mob converge on the white house and burn it down, and otherwise, was a racist sack of shit.

And between the only two options that American groupthink allows to be viable I think Biden is more likely to try to do the bare minimum necessary to placate the population, and [Emoji sequence: tangerine poop clown] is more likely to use force to bring the population in line.

And, if Biden manages to do the bare minimum progressivism to placate the population, he'll have the most progressive administration in the history of the country.

So, please, vote for the guy whose personal convictions are almost indistinguishable from George W Bush's, but has a good chance of caving to public pressure.

The choice between voting Biden and taking direct action to make things better is a false dichotomy. We can, and must, do both.
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.

Niku
Posts: 1808
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:23 pm

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Niku » Wed Aug 12, 2020 11:12 pm

yeah it’s the surviving long enough part that i don’t have a whole lot of faith in
Image

User avatar
Mongrel
Posts: 21290
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:28 pm
Location: There's winners and there's losers // And I'm south of that line

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Mongrel » Wed Aug 12, 2020 11:18 pm

Well, Harris and Biden are effectively interchangeable in that they're just going to follow the dictates of the DNC.
Image

User avatar
Friday
Posts: 6272
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:40 pm
Location: Karma: -65373

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Friday » Wed Aug 12, 2020 11:29 pm

I don't have much faith either, but I'm not going to give up, because Fuck Them, that's why.
ImageImageImage

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:52 am

Friday wrote:because Fuck Them, that's why.

That's...Will Hunting explaining why he chose to be beaten with a wrench instead of a belt, isn't it?

I gotta go with Trump as the wrench in that analogy.

User avatar
mharr
Posts: 1583
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2016 11:54 am
Location: UK

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby mharr » Fri Aug 14, 2020 6:06 am

The insoluble problem of democracy, there are people who aren't comfortable making painful decisions for others, and people who are. Democracy empowers the latter.

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:53 pm

Postal Service warns 46 states their voters could be disenfranchised by delayed mail-in ballots

The letters warning about November caution many states that their deadlines for voters to request an absentee ballot are too close to Election Day and that “the Postal Service cannot adjust its delivery standards to accommodate the requirements of state election law.” The letters put the onus on election officials to adjust deadlines or educate voters to act well before them.

Mail carriers, meanwhile, have warned that new cost-cutting measures at the USPS are slowing the delivery of mail ballots in key states. Recent contests have offered a preview of the potential consequences, with voters — particularly in urban areas such as Detroit and the Bronx — complaining that their absentee ballots did not arrive until the last minute or at all.

[...]

The USPS did not offer serious warnings to the five states that have long conducted universal vote-by-mail elections — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

For Nevada, which Trump accused in May of trying to “cheat” in elections after it announced plans to conduct a statewide primary by mail, the USPS delivered a clean bill of health. The state plans to mail ballots to all active voters for the general election.


And in local news:

In response to the USPS letter, Arizona changed its guidance for when voters should mail back their completed ballots, from at least six to at least seven days before the election, a spokeswoman for Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) wrote in an email.


That, uh, doesn't seem like it really fixes the problem.

I really don't want to have to set foot inside a polling center at all, but I'm thinking the thing to do may be to drop off my ballot in person this year. Or put it in the mail at least two weeks before the election.

(Ted Lieu and others are saying "VoteByOct22", which is two days later than my "two weeks before" suggestion.)

McDohl
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:45 am

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby McDohl » Fri Aug 14, 2020 4:34 pm

The day you get that ballot is Election Day. Fuck whatever you were doing, and vote

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 14, 2020 4:50 pm

McDohl wrote:The day you get that ballot is Election Day. Fuck whatever you were doing, and vote

With the caveat that it's important to take the time to study every office and ballot prop first. This isn't just about the president, and the more obscure the office the more your vote counts.

Fortunately, if you're voting by mail you should get the information guide(s) before you get your ballot. At least, that's how it works here.

McDohl
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:45 am

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby McDohl » Fri Aug 14, 2020 4:54 pm

Yeah, same in Utah

User avatar
Yoji
Posts: 1440
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 4:12 pm
Location: Screamtown

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Yoji » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:03 pm

Thad wrote: [...] it's important to take the time to study every office and ballot prop first. This isn't just about the president, and the more obscure the office the more your vote counts.

Fortunately, if you're voting by mail you should get the information guide(s) before you get your ballot. At least, that's how it works here.

McDohl wrote:The day you get that ballot is Election Day. Fuck whatever you were doing, and vote

Those feel like they can both be true; if there was a time to straighten up and do your homework, it's now. Unless the news crossing my timeline starts improving very soon, I feel like I'm going to need to research both down-ballot candidates and how to make Molotov cocktails.
Image: Mention something from KPCC or Rachel Maddow
Image: Go on about Homeworld for X posts

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:09 pm

Yoji wrote:Those feel like they can both be true; if there was a time to straighten up and do your homework, it's now.


About a fifth of all states either haven't had their primaries yet or are still counting the votes from them. By all means study what's going to be on your ballot before you get it, but it helps to know what's going to be on it first.

User avatar
Upthorn
Posts: 1027
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 5:41 pm
Location: mastodon.social/@upthorn
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Upthorn » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:12 pm

You don't have to mail the ballot or set foot inside an election center. You can drop off your mail-in ballot in person at your county clerk's office, any time before election day.

Please spread this information as widely as you fucking can.
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:18 pm

Upthorn wrote:You don't have to mail the ballot or set foot inside an election center. You can drop off your mail-in ballot in person at your county clerk's office, any time before election day.

Please spread this information as widely as you fucking can.

No, don't, because the rules for dropping off a ballot vary by state.

By all means share information on the rules for your state, but make it clear that you're talking about your state and the rules don't necessarily apply in the others.

User avatar
Upthorn
Posts: 1027
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 5:41 pm
Location: mastodon.social/@upthorn
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Upthorn » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:28 pm

I believe that every state has a version of this rule -- county clerk, county recorder, county registrar, but you're right, it requires verification before spread.

Edit: compiling a list of information for all states
Options for returning your absentee/mail-in ballot in person or otherwise bypassing the USPS.

  • Alabama: County Absentee Election Manager - the day *before* the election
  • Alaska: any Division of Elections office or any voting location - (deadline unclear)
  • Arizona: County recorder's office - 7 PM on Election day
  • Arkansas: County clerk's office - the day *before* the election
  • California: County elections official - 8 PM on election day
  • Colorado: County clerk - 7PM on election day
  • Connecticut: (If eligible to vote absentee) Town Clerk's office - 8PM on election day
  • Delaware: Select "I am sick, or physically disabled" when applying to vote absentee, you may return your ballot by fax or email: https://elections.delaware.gov/services ... mail.shtml
  • D.C.: Information not available online. Instructions on return included with ballot.
  • Florida: Supervisor of Elections' offices and early voting sites - must be received by 7PM on election day.
  • Georgia: County Board of Registrar's Office by Fax, Email, or in-person - deadline unclear, assume the day before
  • Hawaii: Voter Service Center of Cleark's Office - 7PM on Election Day
  • Idaho: Couldn't find any info online on returning absentee ballots
  • Illinois: Couldn't find any info online on returning mail-in ballots, but you can use early voting options.
  • Indiana: Restrictions on absentee eligibility. The voter, the voter’s attorney-in-fact, a bonded courier, or a member of the voter’s immediate household may hand-deliver a completed absentee ballot to the county election board. https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/2402.htm
  • Iowa: No restrictions on absentee. If you have questions about absentee voting, please contact your County Auditor. (presumably this is also where you would return absentee ballots in person).
  • Kansas: No restrictions on absentee. County election office by the close of business on the Friday after the election
  • Kentucky: No restrictions on absentee for people with COVID concerns. Dropboxes will be provided for people with concerns about mail delays. County Clerk must receive ballot by close of business November 6th.
  • Louisiana: Restrictions on absentee eligibility. A voter or immediate family member of the voter may deliver the ballot to your Parish registrar of voters by 4:30 p.m. CST on the day before election day.
  • Maine: No restrictions on absentee. Return to your municipal clerk by 8PM on election day.
  • Maryland: No restrictions on absentee. Deliver to your local board of elections by 8 pm on election day.
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:31 pm

Yeah, it's county recorder here in Maricopa County. Or any polling place, plus they've added some dropoff-only sites for this election.

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Tue Aug 18, 2020 3:29 pm

Postal Service backs down on changes as at least 20 states sue over potential mail delays ahead of election

This is a good start, but there's still the issue that the USPS needs additional funding and Trump has threatened to block it.

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 21, 2020 1:13 pm

Progressive Groups Are Getting More Selective In Targeting Incumbents. Is It Working?

tl;dr incumbency still makes for a strong advantage, and establishment endorsements still tend to be better predictors of victory than progressive endorsements, but the trend seems to be moving in the right direction (or rather, the left one). Progressives are losing most of their challenges against incumbents, but they're winning a few, and they're winning significantly more primaries where they're not running against an incumbent.

I think there's probably also a value even in losing campaigns against incumbents, in that it can force concessions to the progressive wing of the party.

User avatar
Friday
Posts: 6272
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:40 pm
Location: Karma: -65373

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Friday » Fri Aug 21, 2020 1:23 pm

force concessions to the progressive wing of the party.


"oh fine god JEEZ we'll give you the ability to not go bankrupt if you get sick once ever FINE"
ImageImageImage

User avatar
Thad
Posts: 13170
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:05 am
Location: 1611 Uranus Avenue
Contact:

Re: Election 2020 - Here we go again

Postby Thad » Fri Aug 21, 2020 2:04 pm


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests