ERN Newsletter: Reasons to believe, the big lie, matching appeal
Americans are looking for reasons to believe again, to believe that citizens can make a difference, that our system isn't rigged, that positive change is possible.
At its heart, the work of Election Reformers Network is all about meeting this need. In state after state, ERN is advancing practical reforms that strengthen our elections, build impartial oversight, protect rights, and more.
Even as the nation faces some of the worst polarization and most aggressive attacks against the constitution in our history, there are reasons to believe—particularly if we take a longer-term perspective.
IN THIS NEWSLETTER
- A long-term perspective shows major successes, and opportunities ahead
- The enduring harm of 2020 election falsehood
- Double your impact. Your gift is matched through May 31!
A recent ERN analysis shows how remarkably far we've come in the last 25 years. Some examples:
- Easy, secure voting: 36 states now offer no-excuse-needed absentee voting, making it easier for millions of Americans to participate. 24 states now have automatic voter registration, safely reducing the number of unregistered citizens.
- Greater certainty about results: 47 states now use verifiable paper-based voting in every precinct, and 17 states have risk-limiting audits, two reforms that have made it much easier to confirm election results.
- More choice for voters. In 17 states, some or all voters can use ranked ballots for some races, increasing competition and cooperation among candidates, and helping ensure winners are backed by the majority.
- Independent redistricting: Nine states now have independent redistricting for Congress, leading to more competitive elections and greater accountability.
Many of these categories stood at zero in 2000, and nearly every state in the Union has adopted some reforms, as the chart below illustrates. Check out the details here.
A long-term perspective offers hope.
History shows that democratic reforms often follow moments of crisis. As bad as things seem right now, it's likely a "post-Watergate" moment will come: a moment when the partisan fighting subsides, and a shared recognition emerges that change is needed.
After Watergate, the United States saw a rapid wave of bipartisan reforms. Many of those changes made huge improvements, others were flawed and vulnerable to unintended consequences.
We all need to be ready for the next "Watergate moment." That includes thoughtful planning and coordination and careful design of better institutions. ERN is the national leader in election governance reform, we're making progress now, and getting ready for the moment when it comes.
The enduring harm of 2020 election falsehoods
"I will never lie to you." That was the promise that anchored Jimmy Carter's successful campaign to be the nation's post-Watergate president. It's a commitment we desperately need again. Trustworthiness in our leaders is fundamental to belief in our democracy. That context lends importance to the recent soul-searching among Democrats over lack of honesty about President Biden's declining condition.
The lack of honesty about the 2020 election results keeps getting worse. And it needs to stop.
Recently, President Trump directed the Department of Justice "to help secure the release" of Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk in prison for violating election security laws in search of nonexistent fraud. On social media, Trump referred to Peters, who triggered false accusations and threats across Colorado, as an "innocent political prisoner."
A few weeks earlier, Trump issued a Kafkaesque order for criminal investigations against former cybersecurity agency head Chris Krebs. His transgression? Falsely and baselessly denying that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen.
Yes, conspiracy theories exist on the left as well. A friend emailed me videos purporting to prove 2024 election fraud against Kamala Harris. I replied that the videos can prove nothing because these theories haven't been heard in court and exposed to cross-examination.
By contrast, 63 out of 64 court challenges, along with recounts in every battleground state, all support this certainty: Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, it was not stolen. And yet the insistence to the contrary continues.
The ongoing falsehoods about the 2020 election have incredibly damaging consequences. The false narratives expose election workers to death threats, sow discord in hundreds of communities, and mobilize well-meaning citizens against a nonexistent problem. They have been cynically exploited to justify unnecessary election laws that disenfranchise voters.
Fealty to a lie has become the litmus test for advancement in the Republican party, forcing officials to operate in an inverted world where criminals are patriots, and our rule of law is guilty of political imprisonment.
The ongoing claim of theft against him gives Trump, in the view of his followers, justification for his outrageous attacks against court rulings, law firms, inspectors general, and the independence of the Justice Department, all while obscuring his egregious self-dealing.
None of this is normal.
Democracy relies on all teams agreeing to play by the rules— and referees willing to keep score and call fouls without fear or favor. Attempts to undermine fully validated results, change the rules after the election, and pressure referees all undermine confidence in the electoral process.
At ERN, we develop and promote nonpartisan reforms that prevent these abuses. With your help, we're continuing to fight, and to build more and more reasons for Americans to trust their democracy again.
Kevin Johnson & the entire Election Reformers Network team