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We are seeing alarming developments that will DESTROY a free and fair election in November and keep Donald Trump in power. Here are the few things we know:

  1. Trump is killing the U.S. Postal Service. According to the Washington Post, a top Trump donor leads the agency and has changed the service that is now causing DELAYS in mail service. This is a clear attempt to stop mail-in ballots from being delivered.
  2. Bill Barr will use the DOJ to smear Joe Biden in October: On August 1st, two former federal lawyers wrote in the Washington Post that they expect Barr to spin the results of his current “investigation” into the FBI’s 2016 investigation of the Russia-Trump collusion and smear Joe Biden. Since we know Barr lied about the Mueller report and has no qualms using the DOJ to help Trump, we can expect Barr to ignore DOJ policy and release an election altering “October surprise” disguised as a “DOJ investigation.”
  3. Trump is sowing mistrust and chaos about the election. He’s tweeted about delaying the election and is trying to convince everyone that mail-in voting is rife with fraud. He’s trying to taint the results and stay in power, like an authoritarian. He’s even claimed that any votes counted after the night of the election are fraudulent. At worst, this may lead to state legislatures to nullify their state’s results and force their electors to choose Trump, according to Laurence Tribe, Harvard Emeritus Professor of Law.
  4. Absentee ballots are REJECTED at a HIGHER rate than in-person votes. According to Dave Wasserman, elections expert for Cook Political Report and NBC News contributor, absentee ballots are at-risk for higher rejection rates due to voter error (not properly filling their ballots), inadequate processing in states not accustomed to mail-in ballots, and understaffed election offices. Especially worrying is these states that are underprepared are the ones most likely to tip the Electoral College: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

So what can you do to get your vote counted?

  • VOTE EARLY. Ensure your ballot is submitted and counted before it’s too late!
  • IF IT’S SAFE FOR YOU, DO EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING. The Orange County Registrar of Voters will open voting centers throughout the county and you can vote in-person weeks before Election Day (Nov. 3rd). Mail ballots require extra processing to match your signature to the voter file and mail ballots are rejected at higher rates than in-person ballots. In-person voting is EASIER for the registrar to count.

If you need to use a mail ballot:

  • SIGN, DATE, AND SEAL YOUR MAIL BALLOT. Don’t risk getting your ballot rejected. Follow all the directions precisely. Don’t make any extra marks on your paper ballot. Fill the boxes completely.
  • DROP YOUR BALLOT IN A DROP BOX. Skip the postal service. Throughout Orange County, there will be official drop boxes where you can deliver your ballot so you know they have it in time.
  • SIGN UP TO BE A COUNT OBSERVER. The OC Registrar of Voters welcomes individuals to observe the processing and count of ballots. This accountability is crucial for free and fair elections.

Lastly, SPREAD THE NEWS to your family, friends, and other voters when you phonebank or write postcards for campaigns. The OC Registrar of Voters will have more information about vote centers, drop boxes, and signing up to be an observer closer to Election Day.