Upset about the Validity of the Election Results? Here’s what to Do

Many of you are shocked, surprised, confused, and angry after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 Presidential contest.  Here’s some advice on how to proceed:

1. The most important thing we can do is stay calm, avoid hysteria, and make sure that we ensure the integrity of our election system.  This is not about who won or lost, this is about confidence in the most simple and integral act of our citizenship: voting.

2. We should examine all claims rationally and with critical thinking, not emotion.  We should avoid going down every single internet rabbit hole conspiracy theory (and there are many of them).

3. We should let the legal challenges play themselves out.  They will all be made and heard. And the evidence of fraud will either be demonstrated, or it will not.

4. We should encourage the legislatures in the states where things are close to do their constitutional duty and convene to investigate and clarify.  Michigan is already doing so, led by their Speaker, Lee Chatfield.  They’ve issued subpoenas and the investigations have begun.  I’ve spoken with Speaker Chatfield.  He’s not looking to overturn an election.  He’s looking to ensure that the Michigan legislature does its job insuring the sanctity of our electoral system.  He and the Michigan legislature believe that doing this is their duty, so that they may restore confidence in our electoral system.

In Wisconsin there will be a recount.  It has been requested by the Trump team, and under current circumstances it should be conducted and completed with all due haste. In Pennsylvania, there will be a recount, as announced by their Secretary of State.  In Georgia, there will be a recount. Arizona and North Carolina may require recounts as well. These recounts should be completed thoroughly, will all due haste, ensuring that all legal votes are counted.  Let us get to the bottom of all of this as rapidly as possible while being thorough.

5. Both parties should work together with full participation.  There should be no limitation on equal representation of the parties at the table as the recounts are being conducted in full view.

6. We must be patient.   Demanding a thorough accounting from our public officials will take time.  In 2000, though one candidate almost immediately declared himself the winner of the Presidential election, the election itself was not actually decided until December 12, 2000.

7. Finally, we must reform our voting system.  Regardless of the level of fraud found, or not, mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud.  It is a disaster in waiting.  Many elections have shown this, and the current one confirms it.  We must, state by state, limit, or do away with voting by mail, ballot harvesting, etc.

We live in 2020, so perhaps there is a technological fix.  Without getting too technical, it is possible that “blockchain” technology which is used for high security applications (such as trading bitcoin) may provide a solution to allowing electronic voting.  It is also possible that we need to go back to all paper ballots on voting day, at the polling booths (with rare exceptions for absentee ballots).

No matter what, we must get our elections right.  America — democracy – is worth it.

Image Credit: Wikipedia