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Ensuring Your Vote Counts: A Guide to Safeguarding Democracy

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Chapter 1: The Importance of Voting Methods

How you cast your vote is nearly as crucial as who you choose. In order for Democrats to maintain and grow their influence, they must replicate the strategies seen during the 2020 election, particularly emphasizing mail-in voting and the use of drop boxes.

Image depicting voting methods

Credit: Michael Dwyer / AP

In the 2016 election, every analysis and forecast indicated that Hillary Clinton was set for victory. It seemed so certain that her team had begun celebrating prematurely. However, in an unexpected turn, Donald Trump secured just enough votes in critical states to achieve a stunning upset.

The media struggled to rationalize this outcome without addressing the underlying cause—manipulation. Trump's campaign, with assistance from foreign entities, effectively suppressed and altered votes in key regions. Prominent computer scientists urged Clinton's team to contest the results due to evidence of irregularities noted in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—particularly in areas utilizing electronic voting systems.

Subsequent investigations, including The Mueller Report, confirmed that Russian operatives had infiltrated state databases and voting machine networks, compromising systems in multiple states. The Senate Intelligence Committee later reported that Russian efforts targeted voting infrastructures across all 50 states, having significantly breached 21 of them.

In 2020, the situation nearly repeated itself, but was thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a surge in mail-in voting. Despite attempts to undermine this process, too many voters had already cast their ballots by mail. The outcome was a victory for Biden, prompting a series of desperate attempts from Trump's camp to overturn the election results.

As we approach 2024, the same tactics are likely to resurface. To secure a win, it is vital for voters to utilize mail-in ballots or personally deliver their votes to drop boxes. While some ballots may still go missing, enough will get counted to make a significant difference.

Section 1.1: Ensuring Your Vote Counts

The most effective way to guarantee your vote is counted is to ensure a paper trail exists. This means steering clear of touchscreen voting machines, especially those from ES&S. Previously known as Diebold, ES&S has a troubled history of security issues and unethical practices.

Despite rebranding, their standards have not improved. They have previously been caught selling equipment equipped with remote access capabilities, and recent discoveries have unveiled vulnerabilities that could allow manipulation of votes on individual ballots.

ES&S responded to these findings with legal threats against researchers, attempting to silence discussion about their security flaws.

Subsection 1.1.1: The Broader Implications of Voting Integrity

The issues surrounding voting integrity extend beyond presidential elections. Consider how unpopular figures like Mitch McConnell manage to secure a significant percentage of votes. Factors such as gerrymandering, voter suppression, and intimidation play a role, but the use of unreliable voting machines like those from ES&S cannot be overlooked.

For the sake of democracy, it's crucial to avoid touchscreen voting and educate those around you on this matter. Voting is effective when conducted properly.

The first video, "Whose Vote Counts, Explained," narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, provides an in-depth look at the significance of every vote and the mechanisms that can affect electoral outcomes. This episode sheds light on the systems in place and the importance of safeguarding the voting process.

Section 1.2: Empowering Voters

To stay informed about these issues, follow experts like Jennifer Cohn, Alison Greene, and Jason Kander on social media. Supporting organizations such as Verified Voting can also contribute to the integrity of elections.

In addition, we should remain vigilant about voting practices and encourage others to do the same.

The second video, "How Do You Know if Your Vote is Counted?" explores methods to verify that your vote has been processed correctly, emphasizing the importance of transparency in the voting process.

Chapter 2: Moving Forward

The path to a fair voting process lies in our hands. By staying informed, advocating for secure voting methods, and participating in the electoral process, we can ensure that our democracy remains robust and effective.

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