I live in Pinal County Arizona. I got an email an hour ago that the GOP is trying to change vote counting in Pinal County … one week from the election! They are trying to hand count all ballots instead of two precincts as the law states. There is no time to find and train volunteers which is I am sure what they are counting on.. chaos. The GOP AG started this clown show a couple of days ago. The hand counting would take weeks and there is no way that people from both parties could supervise this hand counting. The GOP is trying to steal this state.
I want to comment on AARP vis-à-vis  Alliance of Retired Persons. As noted by a participant in the new chat option spinning off Joyce’s invaluable “Civil Discourse” postings, AARP has not published any alert or taken a public position of the MAGA threat to Social Security and Medicare. I wonder if a case will be presented to super-packed SCOTUS or whether it will be abolished by Congress --if the Republicans take control. I wonder if anyone has run the numbers on the significance of the disenfranchisement of the elderly. Has anyone calculated the numbers who are utterly dependent? Where will they go? Who will help support them? The MAGA children? What will the landlords and mortgage bankers do when rents and mortgages can’t be met? What will happen to the abandoned properties and utility companies when payments can’t be made? What a disastrous strike on the economy. Where is AARP? It must be a “brand” issue, holding back in silence and possibly fear that half of AARP’ subscribers are MAGA people. It pains me to think AARP has turned its back on its fundamental mission.
We live in Sedona AZ (Yavapai County). We have been on the mail in rolls for years. We receive our ballots about 3 weeks before Election Day. We always fill out immediately and drop off at the drop box located at the City Hall. This year is the first time I was ever nervous going to the drop box and that was before the reports of armed watchers. Of course, in future elections I will be even more concerned but I won’t let that stop me from exercising the most fundamental right we have as citizens. I truly hope these groups who are trying to discourage people from voting will realize their harassment won’t work. This deplorable (Hillary had it right) situation is one more thing that can be laid at the feet of TFG!
As always, greatly appreciate the information you share with us. Thank you Joyce!
All and all we feel very safe here. Thankfully, crime is still relatively low. Dropping our ballots off was the first time we stopped and took a look around to see if anyone was in the area that might be confrontational.
Fascinating and encouraging. I so appreciate the courage and diligence of these litigants and lawyers - they are on the front lines, protecting democracy on behalf of us all. Thank you too, Joyce, Gerry Hebert, and Armand Derfner for giving me a fuller understanding of the cases.
THESE ARE THE STORIES MY FATHER TOLD ME 50 SOME ODD YEARS AGO!!!! My dad grew up under Mussolini. He would say that there would be armed men that would watch you during elections.
Also, and please correct me if I am wrong, I learned in history/government the same amount of years ago that while we have freedoms, they are limited. Because what you may claim as YOUR freedom, may impinge on MY freedom.
Thank you for letting us know how hard and quickly civil rights lawyers are working to try to protect our voting rights. This was encouraging, while so much news leaves us with only the fear of impending doom. Vote!
Unfortunately, as obvious as the violations are in Arizona, they are better hidden and embedded in what has become the new normal. Voter ID, change polling locations, and worse. Vote early, wore by mail, vote in person up until next Tuesday… just vote, our future depends on it.
All I can say is wonderful , the law as it was truly intended survives. In the first case I would use the UK term that the judge and the decision were “bent”. It seems like the extremists of the GOP as a whole are “bent”
Question. so if I feel harassed at a drop box. Who would I call to get help, file a law suit in my state or city? It has not happened to me, but would i call 911 and then call league of women voters to help file a law suit? Just wondering. Thank you
“What Should You Do If You Think You’re Encountering or Witnessing Voter Intimidation?
If you think you’re encountering or witnessing voter intimidation, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to get voting help from a trained election protection volunteer. They are there to help. For non-English speakers, there are some language-specific options available.
If you feel safe doing so, try to de-escalate the situation.
You should also report anything suspicious or intimidating to your local election official, immediately. Visit USA.gov to find your state or local election office’s website. Some states may have voter intimidation hotlines in place. Remember: voter intimidation is against the law, and it should not be tolerated. Local election officials and law enforcement have a responsibility to protect voters from voter intimidation of any kind. Election officials are empowered to maintain peace and safety at their polling locations.
You can also call the U.S. Department of Justice voting rights hotline at 1-800-253-3931.“
I think you could be on the right path here. Voting on November 8th could not be more important in increasing our majority in both houses so that we can get these issues addressed and passed into law. GOP is like a wayward wind. They think they need to bully and create fear so that we will give up and decide not to vote but we know better 🎉🇺🇸🗳️❤️
Just think about it. Wouldn't it feel a bit threatening to walk by a group of 8 armed men wearing tactical gear just standing on a street corner, no voting involved? Transfer that armed group to the area by a voting drop box. Of course, the situation is intimidating; the men are intending to be intimidating.
Yes, it does seem odd. I am a confident guy and would like to think that I would ask those morons what they were doing and why. I am not sure that confidence would extend to confronting 6-8 idiots with AR-15s. My big mouth and their big guns could lead to trouble.
The logical inconsistency of their arguments is staggering: We want free and fair elections. If we win, the election was free and fair. If we lose, it was not. It is a child's reasoning: I REALLY want a pony. If I don't get one, I will throw a tantrum.
I am working the polls next Tuesday in my polling place. We followed the same procedures when Obama and Trump were elected and all of the midterms in between. We may like some outcomes more than others, but our oath is to the Constitution.
All my fellow poll workers and I are concerned about the possibility of voter intimidation next Tuesday. Our planned response is simple: Call the Sheriff's office and have them removed. Depending on how things go, I may get a chance to ask morons with AR-15s what they are doing and why. The Senate and Governor races in PA are hot topics for debate this year.
Sheriff Paul Penzone (Maricopa County) is a no-nonsense, no favorites, straight shooter (not in the gun sense). I believe he and his people will do the right thing and protect voters from these RW Qnuts.
I hope that they understand their responsibilities to Pittsburgh and the US supersede those sympathies. I agree that their natural instincts may be to side with the riflemen. I have a prize winning, Czech line black shepherd. He and I did bite work with the Allegheny County Sheriff's Department dogs and handlers when we were younger. This was pre-Trump 2014-2015 timeframe. I considered them extremist in their views then. I hate to think about their sympathies now.
Joyce is lovely. I would love to have her join Pitt Law School had have her as a neighbor. We could walk Bella and Dillon together. I am sure those two would be smitten with each other.
The result in the second lawsuit shows the power of careful lawyering. The lawyers in that case meticulously gathered the evidence that demonstrated how the intimidation affected voters. The judge could not ignore it.
Good late evening JV on this precipice of good news and hope along the way. I remember during the 2020 election campaign, Arizona was a cold cruel place of election deniers. It got pretty ugly and I was so happy to hear of the Judge’s ruling today addressing the unlawful abuses of voters being stalked and intimidated there. I do hope more states will address this issue in this way and quickly. Thanks for this news. One step for mankind.
I live in Pinal County Arizona. I got an email an hour ago that the GOP is trying to change vote counting in Pinal County … one week from the election! They are trying to hand count all ballots instead of two precincts as the law states. There is no time to find and train volunteers which is I am sure what they are counting on.. chaos. The GOP AG started this clown show a couple of days ago. The hand counting would take weeks and there is no way that people from both parties could supervise this hand counting. The GOP is trying to steal this state.
I heard about that on the Rachel Maddow show on Monday night. How can they get away with that. Someone’s got to lawyer in on this situation urgently.
I want to comment on AARP vis-à-vis  Alliance of Retired Persons. As noted by a participant in the new chat option spinning off Joyce’s invaluable “Civil Discourse” postings, AARP has not published any alert or taken a public position of the MAGA threat to Social Security and Medicare. I wonder if a case will be presented to super-packed SCOTUS or whether it will be abolished by Congress --if the Republicans take control. I wonder if anyone has run the numbers on the significance of the disenfranchisement of the elderly. Has anyone calculated the numbers who are utterly dependent? Where will they go? Who will help support them? The MAGA children? What will the landlords and mortgage bankers do when rents and mortgages can’t be met? What will happen to the abandoned properties and utility companies when payments can’t be made? What a disastrous strike on the economy. Where is AARP? It must be a “brand” issue, holding back in silence and possibly fear that half of AARP’ subscribers are MAGA people. It pains me to think AARP has turned its back on its fundamental mission.
I believe you can watch the vote count. Talk to your local Democratic field office. They can gather volunteers.
Joyce I always enjoy your explanations and summations of current events. In this current climate facts are so needed. Thank you for doing this.
We live in Sedona AZ (Yavapai County). We have been on the mail in rolls for years. We receive our ballots about 3 weeks before Election Day. We always fill out immediately and drop off at the drop box located at the City Hall. This year is the first time I was ever nervous going to the drop box and that was before the reports of armed watchers. Of course, in future elections I will be even more concerned but I won’t let that stop me from exercising the most fundamental right we have as citizens. I truly hope these groups who are trying to discourage people from voting will realize their harassment won’t work. This deplorable (Hillary had it right) situation is one more thing that can be laid at the feet of TFG!
As always, greatly appreciate the information you share with us. Thank you Joyce!
You needed to call your local sheriff’s office and request deputies bd at the ballot boxes to protect you from these imbeciles.
I lived in Sedona in the 90s. I felt safe there. I am sorry to hear you do not after you have lived there so long.
All and all we feel very safe here. Thankfully, crime is still relatively low. Dropping our ballots off was the first time we stopped and took a look around to see if anyone was in the area that might be confrontational.
Fascinating and encouraging. I so appreciate the courage and diligence of these litigants and lawyers - they are on the front lines, protecting democracy on behalf of us all. Thank you too, Joyce, Gerry Hebert, and Armand Derfner for giving me a fuller understanding of the cases.
THESE ARE THE STORIES MY FATHER TOLD ME 50 SOME ODD YEARS AGO!!!! My dad grew up under Mussolini. He would say that there would be armed men that would watch you during elections.
Also, and please correct me if I am wrong, I learned in history/government the same amount of years ago that while we have freedoms, they are limited. Because what you may claim as YOUR freedom, may impinge on MY freedom.
Thank you for letting us know how hard and quickly civil rights lawyers are working to try to protect our voting rights. This was encouraging, while so much news leaves us with only the fear of impending doom. Vote!
Unfortunately, as obvious as the violations are in Arizona, they are better hidden and embedded in what has become the new normal. Voter ID, change polling locations, and worse. Vote early, wore by mail, vote in person up until next Tuesday… just vote, our future depends on it.
But it’s only the new normal until it isn’t. All of these voting rights abuses need to be addressed in court but by whom?
All I can say is wonderful , the law as it was truly intended survives. In the first case I would use the UK term that the judge and the decision were “bent”. It seems like the extremists of the GOP as a whole are “bent”
Thank you Joyce!
Litigation is the effective civilized alternative to weaponized confrontation and the rule of strongmen.
Question. so if I feel harassed at a drop box. Who would I call to get help, file a law suit in my state or city? It has not happened to me, but would i call 911 and then call league of women voters to help file a law suit? Just wondering. Thank you
“What Should You Do If You Think You’re Encountering or Witnessing Voter Intimidation?
If you think you’re encountering or witnessing voter intimidation, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to get voting help from a trained election protection volunteer. They are there to help. For non-English speakers, there are some language-specific options available.
If you feel safe doing so, try to de-escalate the situation.
You should also report anything suspicious or intimidating to your local election official, immediately. Visit USA.gov to find your state or local election office’s website. Some states may have voter intimidation hotlines in place. Remember: voter intimidation is against the law, and it should not be tolerated. Local election officials and law enforcement have a responsibility to protect voters from voter intimidation of any kind. Election officials are empowered to maintain peace and safety at their polling locations.
You can also call the U.S. Department of Justice voting rights hotline at 1-800-253-3931.“
I think you could be on the right path here. Voting on November 8th could not be more important in increasing our majority in both houses so that we can get these issues addressed and passed into law. GOP is like a wayward wind. They think they need to bully and create fear so that we will give up and decide not to vote but we know better 🎉🇺🇸🗳️❤️
What purpose is served by vigilantes standing near vote-collection boxes with weapons? Do they plan to shoot people they suspect are mules?
Just think about it. Wouldn't it feel a bit threatening to walk by a group of 8 armed men wearing tactical gear just standing on a street corner, no voting involved? Transfer that armed group to the area by a voting drop box. Of course, the situation is intimidating; the men are intending to be intimidating.
Yes, it does seem odd. I am a confident guy and would like to think that I would ask those morons what they were doing and why. I am not sure that confidence would extend to confronting 6-8 idiots with AR-15s. My big mouth and their big guns could lead to trouble.
The logical inconsistency of their arguments is staggering: We want free and fair elections. If we win, the election was free and fair. If we lose, it was not. It is a child's reasoning: I REALLY want a pony. If I don't get one, I will throw a tantrum.
I am working the polls next Tuesday in my polling place. We followed the same procedures when Obama and Trump were elected and all of the midterms in between. We may like some outcomes more than others, but our oath is to the Constitution.
All my fellow poll workers and I are concerned about the possibility of voter intimidation next Tuesday. Our planned response is simple: Call the Sheriff's office and have them removed. Depending on how things go, I may get a chance to ask morons with AR-15s what they are doing and why. The Senate and Governor races in PA are hot topics for debate this year.
Sadly, odds are better than 50:50 that the Sheriff's department is in sympathy with the ersatz riflemen, and may not respond to the call.
Sheriff Paul Penzone (Maricopa County) is a no-nonsense, no favorites, straight shooter (not in the gun sense). I believe he and his people will do the right thing and protect voters from these RW Qnuts.
I hope that they understand their responsibilities to Pittsburgh and the US supersede those sympathies. I agree that their natural instincts may be to side with the riflemen. I have a prize winning, Czech line black shepherd. He and I did bite work with the Allegheny County Sheriff's Department dogs and handlers when we were younger. This was pre-Trump 2014-2015 timeframe. I considered them extremist in their views then. I hate to think about their sympathies now.
Joyce, you continue to be a gift to us all. Thank you!
Joyce is lovely. I would love to have her join Pitt Law School had have her as a neighbor. We could walk Bella and Dillon together. I am sure those two would be smitten with each other.
Those intimidation groups in Arizona are getting paid big bucks to dissuade voters from voting. Think about it. It’s against the law.
Excellent results on the second try. It is frightening to think of being intimidated like this.
The result in the second lawsuit shows the power of careful lawyering. The lawyers in that case meticulously gathered the evidence that demonstrated how the intimidation affected voters. The judge could not ignore it.
Good late evening JV on this precipice of good news and hope along the way. I remember during the 2020 election campaign, Arizona was a cold cruel place of election deniers. It got pretty ugly and I was so happy to hear of the Judge’s ruling today addressing the unlawful abuses of voters being stalked and intimidated there. I do hope more states will address this issue in this way and quickly. Thanks for this news. One step for mankind.
And this has been addressed today in Arizona. Hopefully other states will follow this example who need to.