2020 Presidential Election

[Mike Corey]

Random question - is Trump allowed to be in the room when all of this is going on? It isn't hard to picture him sitting there glaring at Pence and others.

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[OldPhiKap]

Professor Steve Vladeck notes that a mere majority of U.S. Senators could overrule shenanigans here from Pence.

Thanks, I’ll read it.

I would also think the House has a say too.

But — if it is a simple majority of either or both chambers we should be okay.


ETA -- Sorry Mike, I'm not seeing that language in the article cited by Professor Vladeck. I'd like to see that upon which he relies. (Not directed at you, obviously -- I just want some primary sources to review myself on the issue. It would seem to fall upon Congressional internal rules for joint sessions; any rules specifically drafted for this occasion; and the governing rules of order (usually Robert's but not always)).

[budwom]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...gop-is-headed/

Money quote:"For the Republican Party, part of this is just the trajectory they were on anyway, even without Trump at the helm. When you are writing voter laws targeting Black people with “surgical precision” (North Carolina Republicans), making it harder for felons who served their time to vote (Florida Republicans) and gerrymandering in a way that almost makes a mockery of majority rule (Wisconsin Republicans), then unfounded voter fraud charges that aim to disqualify the votes of Black people in particular are just a more aggressive step in an anti-democratic direction."

The "Everything is ok and we will get back to normal" take is the hottest of hot takes. There is no going back for the foreseeable future. Hawley, Cruz et al have their playbook.

Right on the money (unfortunately).

[camion]

No. His job is to read out the results as handed to him by the tellers.

For example, in a Cong. Research Service explanation:



Anyway, the question hanging in the air is, "Is the Biden total greater than 269?" The total for Biden in Pence's hand should be 306, which were the totals certified on December 14 at the various state capitals. Pence gets to answer the implicit question, "Is 306 greater than 269?"

Wait, they didn't say there would be math questions.

[Phredd3]

Vice President Nixon used parliamentary procedure to accept the Democratic certificate and ignore the Republican one. He resolved the situation against himself in an act of statesmanship. So the bar is Nixon here. How hard is that to reach?

Has Trump ever bothered with a "non-denial denial"? Heck, has Trump ever resolved any situation against himself? I realize the subject is Pence, but his boss is still his boss for now, and I don't see any evidence that Trump clears the Nixon bar.

Not that I think Pence will actually throw the system into chaos. For one thing, he seems to be maintaining a very careful radio silence these day. And secondly, even if recognizing non-certified electors doesn't cause an outright revolution, four more years of Trump probably don't improve Pence's political situation. Trump has already floated the notion of a third term, and even if he doesn't go that far, it's hard to envision Trump supporting any non-Trump/non-Kushner successor when that time comes. If Pence ever hopes to drive the bus, getting Trump out of the drivers' seat is a necessary first step.

On the other hand, second banana is a role that has been working out pretty well for Pence so far. It's hard to argue that the chance of chaos tomorrow is completely zero.

[Lord Ash]

Oh wow... anyone following this story in PA, where the Republicans in the state legislature seem to have taken over control and ousted the rightful leader so that they can deny swearing in a Democrat whose win was certified? Crazy stuff.

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pe...-20210105.html

You can also follow it on twitter:

https://twitter.com/abgutman?ref_src...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[MarkD83]

The premise for republicans who are challenging the electoral college vote is to ensure that Trump and his base support them in future elections, in particular primary elections.

Here in Virginia you can vote in any primary you choose and do not have to be a member of that party to do so. That means if all democrats decide to vote in the republican primary they can. Furthermore, in other states I presume you can join either party even if you don't agree with the politics of that party and then vote in the primary for that party.

It would be interesting to hear the response from the 140 republican representatives and 12 republican senators to the idea that in the next "republican" primaries there could be more "democrats" voting than Trump supporters.

Of course the same would be true in reverse and what would conceivably happen is that the republican and democratic candidates elected in the primaries would be more moderate.


(I did compose twice and post once.)

[SavDukeGrad]

For those wanting to hear anecdotal stories about voting in Georgia:

I just returned home from voting in person, as I did in June (primary) and November. Very easy, no line, no wait. Similar to June and November at my precinct. There didn’t seem to be quite as many people there voting, but I’m not sure that means much since the ballot only has 3 races this time, and is very easy and quick to fill out. I live in Chatham County, outside the Savannah city limits; we are definitely NOT where the majority of the votes in Ga are located, however.

One of my children lives in Atlanta and voted in person today as well, reporting that it was also quick, easy, and no wait.

My other child voted absentee, dropping the ballot in a drop box last week. Apparently, you can sign up for email notifications about your ballot. Received an email this morning saying the ballot had been processed, accepted, and recorded.

I’m not sure any of this means much, but I wanted to share since there seems to be so much interest out there.

[Jeffrey]

For those wanting to hear anecdotal stories about voting in Georgia:

I just returned home from voting in person, as I did in June (primary) and November. Very easy, no line, no wait. Similar to June and November at my precinct. There didn’t seem to be quite as many people there voting, but I’m not sure that means much since the ballot only has 3 races this time, and is very easy and quick to fill out. I live in Chatham County, outside the Savannah city limits; we are definitely NOT where the majority of the votes in Ga are located, however.

One of my children lives in Atlanta and voted in person today as well, reporting that it was also quick, easy, and no wait.

My other child voted absentee, dropping the ballot in a drop box last week. Apparently, you can sign up for email notifications about your ballot. Received an email this morning saying the ballot had been processed, accepted, and recorded.

I’m not sure any of this means much, but I wanted to share since there seems to be so much interest out there.

Thanks, I appreciate your report. Once upon a time, the news would give us an unbiased report.

[MarkD83]

For those wanting to hear anecdotal stories about voting in Georgia:

I just returned home from voting in person, as I did in June (primary) and November. Very easy, no line, no wait. Similar to June and November at my precinct. There didn’t seem to be quite as many people there voting, but I’m not sure that means much since the ballot only has 3 races this time, and is very easy and quick to fill out. I live in Chatham County, outside the Savannah city limits; we are definitely NOT where the majority of the votes in Ga are located, however.

One of my children lives in Atlanta and voted in person today as well, reporting that it was also quick, easy, and no wait.

My other child voted absentee, dropping the ballot in a drop box last week. Apparently, you can sign up for email notifications about your ballot. Received an email this morning saying the ballot had been processed, accepted, and recorded.

I’m not sure any of this means much, but I wanted to share since there seems to be so much interest out there.

Does this indicate that when the first results are posted and reported by the media that the tallies will include the mail-in ballot results?

[SavDukeGrad]

Does this indicate that when the first results are posted and reported by the media that the tallies will include the mail-in ballot results?

I really don’t know. I guess early results will include some mail in ballots, and probably more so in the smaller counties.

But voters have until 7 pm today to vote in person, or to put their mail in ballots in a drop box.

[CameronBornAndBred]

For those wanting to hear anecdotal stories about voting in Georgia:

I just returned home from voting in person, as I did in June (primary) and November. Very easy, no line, no wait. Similar to June and November at my precinct. There didn’t seem to be quite as many people there voting, but I’m not sure that means much since the ballot only has 3 races this time, and is very easy and quick to fill out. I live in Chatham County, outside the Savannah city limits; we are definitely NOT where the majority of the votes in Ga are located, however.

One of my children lives in Atlanta and voted in person today as well, reporting that it was also quick, easy, and no wait.

My other child voted absentee, dropping the ballot in a drop box last week. Apparently, you can sign up for email notifications about your ballot. Received an email this morning saying the ballot had been processed, accepted, and recorded.

I’m not sure any of this means much, but I wanted to share since there seems to be so much interest out there.

Have been watching some TV news, and there are long lines shown, but they seem to be in heavy GOP districts. And of course, being the news, they are going to find and show long lines rather than show an empty parking lot.

[JasonEvans]

I mean, this is sheer genius...



Edit: I did not know what the splash screen would say on that video. I want to be clear that I do not necessarily agree that Trump's phone call was treason. I would find the video/song clever and worth listening to if it was Biden or Trump or AOC or Ted Cruz.

[SavDukeGrad]

Have been watching some TV news, and there are long lines shown, but they seem to be in heavy GOP districts. And of course, being the news, they are going to find and show long lines rather than show an empty parking lot.

Those are probably in north Georgia. Atlanta and north Georgia are where the majority of the population, and votes, in our state are.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I mean, this is sheer genius...



Edit: I did not know what the splash screen would say on that video. I want to be clear that I do not necessarily agree that Trump's phone call was treason. I would find the video/song clever and worth listening to if it was Biden or Trump or AOC or Ted Cruz.

That's brilliant. Thanks for sharing.

[Steven43]

Have been watching some TV news, and there are long lines shown, but they seem to be in heavy GOP districts. And of course, being the news, they are going to find and show long lines rather than show an empty parking lot.

If the two Democratic candidates are ahead at the end of the day will Trump say we should stop counting ballots because it needs to be decided on election day?

[JNort]

Got back from canvassing late last night (Columbus, GA to Charlotte) and the whole weekend the majority of voters I did encounter had already voted early.

[budwom]

Does this indicate that when the first results are posted and reported by the media that the tallies will include the mail-in ballot results?

yep, if for example the GOP candidates jump to a quick lead, only to have Demo leaning mail-in ballots tallied later, one can imagine the nonsense that will ensue.

[PackMan97]

yep, if for example the GOP candidates jump to a quick lead, only to have Demo leaning mail-in ballots tallied later, one can imagine the nonsense that will ensue.

Why do we have to imagine it? We already know from the general election.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Steve Kornkhaki just put up some early exit polling, and while for the most part the demographics are the same as the November race, one big difference is in the youngest voting block.
18-29 year olds have shown up so far making up 13% of the total electorate.
In November they were at 20%. Early numbers, but if they don't climb, that's a plus for the GOP.