In the American election system, the phrase "it matters who counts the votes" underscores the critical importance of election integrity and the potential implications if those responsible for counting votes are infiltrated or compromised. This can have significant repercussions at both the local and national levels.
Local Elections
At the local level, various positions can be infiltrated to manipulate election outcomes. These positions include:
City Council Members: They can influence local policies and decisions, and their manipulation can affect the daily lives of residents.
Mayors: As the chief executives of municipalities, mayors have substantial control over local governance and resources.
School Board Members: They oversee the education system, and their manipulation can impact educational policies and funding.
City Attorneys: They provide legal advice and representation to local governments, and their corruption can lead to legal manipulations.
Sheriffs and Police Chiefs: They oversee law enforcement, and their infiltration can result in biased policing and suppression of voter rights.
Judges: They interpret laws and oversee legal proceedings, and their corruption can lead to biased rulings and suppression of voter rights.
County Clerks: They manage election administration, and their manipulation can directly affect vote counting and reporting.
City Commissioners: They oversee various city departments and can influence policy decisions.
Auditors: They ensure financial transparency and accountability, and their corruption can lead to financial mismanagement.
Treasurers: They manage city finances, and their manipulation can result in financial irregularities.
Infiltration of these positions can lead to various forms of fraud, such as voter impersonation, mail-in ballot fraud, illegal voting by noncitizens, and double voting. Historically, there have been instances where local elections were invalidated due to absentee ballot fraud, vote buying, and ballots cast in the names of registered voters 1
Grander Elections
At the state and national levels, the implications of compromised vote counting can be even more profound. Key positions that can be targeted include:
Secretaries of State: They oversee state election processes, and their corruption can lead to statewide election manipulations.
Governors: As the chief executives of states, governors have significant influence over state policies and resources.
State Legislators: They make laws and can influence election processes and redistricting.
Attorneys General: They provide legal advice and representation to states, and their corruption can lead to biased legal interpretations.
Federal Judges: They oversee legal proceedings at the federal level, and their corruption can lead to biased rulings.
Congress Members: They make federal laws and can influence national policies and election processes.
Presidential Candidates: The ultimate goal of election manipulation can be to influence the outcome of presidential elections, which have national and international implications.
Infiltration at these levels can result in widespread election fraud, including manipulation of voter rolls, suppression of voter turnout, and biased reporting of election results. Historically, there have been allegations of election fraud in presidential elections, although these have been disputed and often not proven on a scale that would affect the outcome 1
Potential Fraud Mechanisms
Voter Roll Manipulation: Infiltrated officials can manipulate voter rolls to add or remove voters, affecting election outcomes.
Voter Suppression: They can use various tactics to suppress voter turnout, such as making it difficult for certain groups to vote.
Vote Counting Manipulation: They can directly manipulate the counting of votes, either by altering vote totals or by delaying the reporting of results.
Legal Manipulation: Corrupt judges and attorneys can issue biased rulings and legal advice that favor certain candidates or parties.
Financial Manipulation: Corrupt treasurers and auditors can misuse funds intended for election administration, leading to financial irregularities.
In summary, the infiltration of those who count the votes can have far-reaching implications, from local policies to national elections. It underscores the need for robust election integrity measures and transparency in the election process.