With the 2024 presidential election rapidly approaching, many people have questioned the reliability of the current voting system, including the accuracy with which votes are counted. Will there be a similar rise in dissatisfaction concerning the integrity of November's election? Following the 2020 presidential election, America witnessed an attempt at overturning election results. Former President Donald Trump made claims of election fraud to stimulate re-election. Many of his supporters became angered by the idea of a rigged election and formed a riot encroaching upon the Capitol building on January 6, 2021. The storming resulted in the death of a protester after being shot by police along with the assault of 140 law enforcement officers. This pivotal event triggered a reexamination of the laws surrounding the election process. To increase the public's confidence in future elections, the Electoral Count Reform Act was passed in 2022. This act lays out more specific regulations for upcoming elections, allowing fewer loopholes when appointing the president. The act implemented two major changes: Only state governors would have the ability to appoint their states' electors and a decrease in electoral votes required to be elected became dependent on the total amount of electoral votes.
Along with this act, further measures will be taken for the upcoming election. This includes increased safety surrounding election workers and escalated security for buildings where votes are tabulated. While these precautions aim to satiate the public's nerves entering the 2024 elections, one can’t disregard the instrumental factor in gaining election trust: the integrity of individual election workers. This is commonly a laborious component for many to grapple with, as it is in the hands of these workers to honor the freedom of one's opinion and conduct honorable voting processes. The conclusion of elections may never be entirely transparent due to the trust placed within the hands of these workers who count the votes away from the public eye.
Alyssa Litoff, St. Paul’s Class of ‘94, recently produced a PBS Firing Line Special with Margaret Hoover: Counting the Vote. This documentary dives into the reliability of the United States voting system by giving viewers a close look at how Americans cast their ballots and the process in which votes are counted in each state. Hoover interviews many politically notable figures including David Becker, Jocelyn Benson, Ben Ginsberg, Brad Raffensperger, and Jeb Bush. They discuss the current voting system and touch on the most closely contested presidential elections in 2000 and 2020. Honing in on the 2020 election, we learn about the rise in mail-in ballots due to the worldwide pandemic along with a rise in disinformation that is explained and cleared up throughout the film. Margret Hoover also focuses on the upcoming election in November as she explores the voting systems in specific swing states by talking to officials and election experts in Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia. We learn that Georgia and Michigan have made improvements regarding the efficiency in which votes are being counted, though we have not seen as many steps taken by Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Counting the vote is a great source of information, giving the viewer a behind-the-scenes look at how votes are tabulated.
With the presidential election on November 5 drawing nearer, it is crucial to have a developed understanding of the voting systems in place in the U.S. Americans have the right to free and fair elections, though that doesn’t deny one the ability to lack confidence in the election results. It is important to develop an understanding of the voting procedures and regulations currently in place before becoming an active voter. Though many measures have been taken to ensure accurate results within the election, each individual has the right to develop their own opinion and access their confidence level in the accuracy and integrity in which votes are processed.
Image Credit Democracy Fund Voter Study Group
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