The Unspoken Election Divide

As we approach the presidential election, we are a divided nation in so many ways. We even have institutionalized that division in a new way. This year we are voting for president, but in different elections.

Not too long ago, the presidential election occurred on an election day. Some voted by absentee ballots, but in accordance with firmly administered rules. The community turned out that single day and voted in a process that bound us together as a civic body even if we voted differently. Most important, almost everyone voted with at least an opportunity to know everything about a candidate as all other voters.

Election day is now a lost concept. We have election months with people voting at different times and by a much broader range of methods. Whether those methods are trustworthy has become a source of division by itself. The real division, however, is in the bases of information upon which voters are making their decisions.

Millions of votes have been cast without the voters knowing that there is at least a little fire behind the smoke that Biden was involved in his son’s business dealings even though he has specifically denied it. Fewer, but millions nonetheless, voted without knowing that Trump contracted COVID and being able to evaluate whether he reacted responsibly or irresponsibly. Fewer still, but still a significant number, voted without knowing that Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Those are just prime examples. Many more could be cited.

Experts tell us that early voters are committed to their choice and would not be persuaded otherwise. I think that too facile and simply justifies the division. We have no way of knowing whether any early votes would have changed based upon subsequent information.

This may seem like a minor concern, but I think it is not. Democracy relies upon voting by an informed electorate. What we are doing now not only divides solely by the time at which information emerges, but also by how it emerges. The extended voting encourages information to be manipulated by withholding it, misrepresenting it, and generally distorting it. That possibility would remain without extended voting but extended voting increases the incentive considerably. The extended voting period encourages the manipulation as the information needs to managed for a shorter period of time.

By accepting early voting as a matter of convenience, we have made ourselves much easier targets for manipulation. If we can be manipulated then the election is being manipulated. This is not a partisan issue, although the cries of manipulation by the main street media in favor of Biden are worthy of consideration.

We have made many accommodations to our electoral process because of COVID. The result is that we are now voting in different elections whether or not we know it. COVID undoubtedly will work permanent changes to our society. This is one area, however, from which we need to retreat.