Study by Mayer & @mikedecr: in 2 biggest Wisc counties voter ID prevented 6%, deterred 11% from voting in 2016. https://t.co/mlA4TUzxww pic.twitter.com/A8fgzP3isS
— Elections Center (@ElectionsCenter) September 26, 2017
African-Americans 2-3 times as likely as whites to be blocked or deterred from voting by Wisconsin’s voter ID law pic.twitter.com/qPz72jE2vi
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) September 26, 2017
Which of course, is the intelligence of the design of the voter-suppression plans of Scott Walker and the Wisconsin GOP. Those measures were targeted to casual voters with pro-Dem demographics (people of color, younger voters, and urban voters), and as I've pointed out in the past, they worked like a charm in reducing the amount of votes coming from key Dem cities.
A 2% drop in overall turnout would mean 60,000 fewer votes in Wisconsin. Add in the fact that the steeper dropoffs were in areas that Hillary Clinton and other Dems win by a 2-to-1 margin or more, that proved decisive in allowing Trump to win the state by 22,000 votes.
Oh, and we got an update from the US Department of Homeland Security at today's meeting of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Wow: @DHSgov told @WI_Elections this AM that scans previously believed to be of WI voter registration database ACTUALLY of state DWD systems
— Mark Sommerhauser (@msommerhauser) September 26, 2017
That actually sounds worse, because why would the Russians be poking around looking for unemployment or worker training information? That almost seems like the unemployed and marginally employed were targeted for some reason. Is it because it is easier to screw those people because they have fewer options and are more likely to lack needed ID?
And let's also note this statement, in light of Gov Walker's veto last week of 5 positions at the Elections Commission in this budget.
.@WI_Elections Chair Mark Thomsen expresses concerns about putting in new security plan in light of attempted hack, with reduced budget.
— Greg Neumann (@gneumann_wkow) September 26, 2017
Gee, it's almost like the Walker Administration wants the Elections Commission to be underfunded and more susceptible to hacking and Election Day confusion in 2018. Almost....
Something stinks really bad here.
Oh, and now here's another update from the US Dept of Homeland Security. Apparently the Russians' attempts didn't stop at DWD in Wisconsin.
RE: Wisconsin, DHS says "Discussions of specific IP addresses do not provide a complete picture of potential targeting activity" https://t.co/SaE0OaK8wc
— Mark Sommerhauser (@msommerhauser) September 27, 2017
Agree whole-heartedly with what you're saying. Voting suppression measures, gerrymandering, and our fabulous mass media turned the outcome last year.
ReplyDeleteYes, superdelegates and the electoral system need reform, so that our personal votes can be equal to those others just you and me.
But the influence of those not being inspired to go out and vote can not be ignored. The Democratic Party needs to have candidates that deliver a message that assures people that their vote will count for a real plan, not just some vague platitudes.