Should the GOP Adopt Ballot Harvesting?

[mystery-ak]

March 8, 2023
Should the GOP Adopt Ballot Harvesting?
By Joe Fried

Recently, President Trump urged Republicans to “...become masters of ballot harvesting.” He told an audience at CPAC they need to start harvesting ballots (legally) to counter the harvesting by Democrats. Perhaps I am hung up on semantics, but I think ballot harvesting is awful and usually illegal.

What is “Ballot Harvesting”?

A harvester is usually an anonymous political operative, or someone paid by a political operative, who rounds up ballots and places them in voter drop boxes or mailboxes -- sometimes after altering them. In other cases he gives the ballots to a political organization, where they are “reviewed” prior to distribution to drop boxes by “mules.” Harvesters and mules are often paid “by the piece,” which means they have a big incentive to obtain ballots in any way possible.

A harvester might knock on your door while you are watching “90 Day Fiancé,” and offer to “help” you mail your ballot. But he also might pluck the ballot (or ballot application) directly from your mailbox before you get home from work. Perhaps, someone working at the city trash dump will pull unused ballots from garbage. The price paid for these harvested ballots could be very high if the election is closely contested, and if there are only a few days left to change the outcome.

Some harvesters don’t even bother dealing with real people. They register “phantoms” (made-up people) at fake addresses, such as gas stations, parking lots, and commercial buildings. Then they apply for ballots in the name of the phantoms, and vote those ballots when they arrive.

more
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2023/03/should_the_gop_adapt_ballot_harvesting.html

[Kamaji]

Until the practice is made illegal, yes, they should. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump's CPAC Speech:

Charlie Kirk
@charliekirk11

My favorite part of the speech, and probably the most important: “Until we can eliminate ballot harvesting, we will become masters at ballot harvesting.”

9:52 PM · Mar 4, 2023

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump's follow-up:

"IMPORTANT MESSAGE: @realDonaldTrump says until we can eliminate ballot harvesting, we will become masters at ballot harvesting. We have no choice to BEAT the Democrats at their own game and we’ll do it legally." (Video)

https://mobile.twitter.com/TeamTrump/status/1633533751165607938

[LMAO]

Yes

[Fishrrman]

The answer is NO.

For the same reason we should be opposed to notions like "early voting", "mail-in-ballots", etc.

None of these things -- NONE OF THEM -- will help the Republicans to "win" elections that they would otherwise lose.

The reason is that these "election reforms" are really "above-the-board" portions of "the underground election apparatus" that is designed from the ground up to enable the DCommunists and The Party to "control" (i.e., steal) elections. Think of it as "hiding [the cheating apparatus] in plain sight".

The Republicans' idea of "harvesting" ballots will be to gather legitimate ballots.

The DCommunists' idea is to use the process to manufacture phony ballots with which to overwhelm the polls.

If you cannot comprehend the difference between these two scenarios, well, I'm not sure what to say.

Of course, if you're willing for the Republicans TO CHEAT (as do the DComs) to win, well, then maybe there's a chance. Is this what you want?

[Hoodat]

Only if they are going to make a mockery of it.  Republicans should fill up 53' trailers full of ballots in the next California election and drop one off at each precinct.  And according to California law, those ballots have to be counted.  Who cares if the Republican wins by a margin fifty times the State's total population.  Maybe then Democrats would be willing to restore integrity to our elections.

[Kamaji]

The best way to call attention to it as a problem, and coerce liberals into going along with steps to prohibit the practice, is precisely for republicans to begin indulging in it in a significant way - i.e., as measured by how much liberals engage in it.  Otherwise, nothing will be done about it.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Unfortunately i don't think we have a choice.

[Fishrrman]

Weird wrote:
"Unfortunately i don't think we have a choice."

We DO "have a choice".
At least in the remaining red and purple states.

These states should enact election laws or amend their Constitutions, to wit:
=================
Only citizens may vote in all elections conducted within this State. This includes elections for federal offices of The United States, elections for State offices in the Several States, and all municipal and local elections conducted within the borders of this State.

Elections will be conducted only on Election Day as prescribed by this Constitution.

All ballots in all elections will be paper ballots cast by individual voters at their respective polling locations. Electronic means may be used to tabulate vote counts at the local level.

Provisional ballots of any kind are prohibited by this Constitution.

Ranked Choice Voting of any kind is prohibited by this Constitution.

On Election Day votes will be tabulated immediately after the polls close. Tabulation and counting of votes will proceed continuously until a final tally is reached.

There shall be a demand right of registered voters to witness the tabulation and counting of votes. Any attempt to deny such right will be deemed unconstitutional. This right shall not be modified by any Court. The election officers may however limit the total number of election observers as is practicable for reasons of safety.

An election shall not be considered to be won unless the winning candidate receives a majority of the votes cast. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff election must be held within 35 days to determine the winner. This shall not apply to the elections for President and Vice President, which are to be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral College, as enumerated in the United States Constitution.

The use of the United States Mail shall not be permitted for the collection of ballots, with the exception of absentee ballots.

There shall be no use of absentee ballots without the presentation of individual need, subject to strict scrutiny by the registrar of voters.

Absentee ballots must be received by the close of voting on Election Day. Any ballots received via mail after the polls close will be immediately destroyed and will not be entered into the voting tabulation.

All citizens of this State will be required to produce identification before voting.

All citizens who desire to vote will be required to register at least six months in advance of election day, unless they have previously done so. All citizens requesting registration will be properly vetted by the registrar of voters.
==========

In enacting such laws or state constitutional amendments, the red/purple states should endeavour to keep the language as uniform as possible between them -- in view that at some point in the future it will become part of a new "reconstituted" national Constitution...

[cato potatoe]

Now is a good time to figure this out.  Maybe by 2037 Donald will warn us about posting our every thought on the internet.