“My fear is that groups will not accept the popular vote.… They will proclaim the election fraudulent and rigged and not accept the vote of the people,” said one prominent election lawyer about the upcoming election on the first Tuesday of November… 2022.
It is a travesty that in this day and age there has not been a method developed that allows individuals with a right to vote in an election to cast a vote with 100% assurance that it will be accurately recorded and reported in a final result, and within hours of being cast.
I work with elections. Accuracy is great! But, with the overwhelming numbers of ballots this year, which vastly exceed those of 2020, there may be more time needed to verify, count and certify.
I’m much more concerned with all the eligible voters who are being purged from rolls, and otherwise obstructed from voting at all. My impression is that these numbers far outweigh the numbers of cast ballots that are mis/under/over counted
The courts seem to be holding up the sky by refusing changes to the rolls until after the election. In most states, there is a sixty or ninety day limit before the election to do any purging.
"Either way, that fear for the moment is a waste of energy. It won’t change the outcome, but it might just rob us of a good few days." - Wow, that is a great line. Thank you for this reminder!
Thanks for this, Zach. Thoughtful as always. It’s a truism that people fear a recurrence of what has recently happened, rather than prospecting what is likely to happen. It’s hard for humans not to “fight the last war.” Even if that’s an innate tendency, reminders like yours help!
I’m curing ballots in Florida and it’s a positive way to work in the days up to the election. We contact Democrats who have already voted but whose ballots have been rejected because of signature issues and we help them “get over the line.”
Nevertheless, I am doing my big grocery shop this week, library run, gas, etc so I can pretty much stick to my own routine, away from crowds. I remain optimistic about the outcome, just not quite there with others in my community.
Yes, having gone through last election's misery I am not looking forward to the reactions to this election. It seems we have become "A country divided against itself" and our future is no longer rosy
"My fear is that groups will not accept the popular vote..." This "prominent election lawyer" needs to go back to law school. The so-called popular vote is not the legal way elections are decided, and there is a good reason. We do not have a direct democracy, never did, and hopefully never will.
He was referring to the popular vote count within each state and district, which absolutely does matter and determines how that state’s electoral votes get allocated and who wine state and local elections
Still, it's a point worth making when one considers how many who supported Clinton in 2016 felt that the election of Trump was illegitimate, as she "won" the nationwide popular vote back then. I agree that the non-acceptance of statewide popular votes is a concern since ballot boxes have already been burned in the northwest, and folks in line have been turned away in PA.
Thought this could be appreciated. I went to CHAT GPT and asked for a funny letter regarding election worries, a letter that included some facts about quantum physics and the Buddhist concept of groundlessness. Hold on to your hat! Here it is:
Dear Earthlings, Greetings from the High Council of the Galactic Federation. We understand you’ve got a big presidential election coming up, and we’d like to offer some... cosmic perspective. Our data tells us anxiety is running high, and frankly, our sensors are picking up a lot of solid, tense energy all over America. It’s a bit thick, like spiritual mashed potatoes.
Let us assure you, all that solidity? It’s a total illusion. Here’s a fun fact: atoms—the very building blocks of everything you’re fretting over—are mostly empty space. Like, 99.999999999% empty. So that chair you’re sitting on, the walls around you, and yes, even the political landscape you think is so “heavy and real”—they’re mostly empty fluff. And if your reality is mostly made of emptiness, then what are you worrying about?
We understand, you’re saying, “But Council, have you seen our news?” Indeed, we have. But listen, your minds cling to certainty like toddlers to sticky lollipops. The more you grasp at the idea that everything is set in stone, the heavier everything feels. And honestly, Earthlings, you’re ready for something much lighter. Picture this: every candidate, every news pundit, everyone—each with a giant helium balloon, floating skyward, no ground below. Does it change things? Well, maybe not in terms of results, but it sure changes the vibe, doesn’t it?
Consider our next suggestion, dear friends: Let go of the need to see everything as fixed, decided, and solid. Imagine a world where instead of bracing against every news headline, you let it float right by, like cosmic confetti. Practice the fine art of "groundlessness." We guarantee this: you’ll spend less time gripping and far more time laughing (which we’ve noted is way better for your species' health).
So, next time you feel a surge of worry about who’s winning, losing, or trending—try imagining the whole scene as a cartoon. Let your leaders hover with helium balloons, a little wobbly and bewildered, just as confused by this “solidity” thing as everyone else. Don’t take the show too seriously, because it’s just that: a show. In the great cosmic story, this moment is as brief as a wink.
In closing, may you enjoy your ride, lighten your grip, and perhaps float a bit higher. Reality isn’t what it seems, so let go, tune in to your inner lightness, and remember: the universe is one big, empty, giggling playground.
Yours in groundlessness,
The Galactic Federation Council of High Vibes and Frequent Giggles
It is a travesty that in this day and age there has not been a method developed that allows individuals with a right to vote in an election to cast a vote with 100% assurance that it will be accurately recorded and reported in a final result, and within hours of being cast.
I work with elections. Accuracy is great! But, with the overwhelming numbers of ballots this year, which vastly exceed those of 2020, there may be more time needed to verify, count and certify.
I’m much more concerned with all the eligible voters who are being purged from rolls, and otherwise obstructed from voting at all. My impression is that these numbers far outweigh the numbers of cast ballots that are mis/under/over counted
The courts seem to be holding up the sky by refusing changes to the rolls until after the election. In most states, there is a sixty or ninety day limit before the election to do any purging.
"Either way, that fear for the moment is a waste of energy. It won’t change the outcome, but it might just rob us of a good few days." - Wow, that is a great line. Thank you for this reminder!
Thanks for this, Zach. Thoughtful as always. It’s a truism that people fear a recurrence of what has recently happened, rather than prospecting what is likely to happen. It’s hard for humans not to “fight the last war.” Even if that’s an innate tendency, reminders like yours help!
I’m curing ballots in Florida and it’s a positive way to work in the days up to the election. We contact Democrats who have already voted but whose ballots have been rejected because of signature issues and we help them “get over the line.”
Nevertheless, I am doing my big grocery shop this week, library run, gas, etc so I can pretty much stick to my own routine, away from crowds. I remain optimistic about the outcome, just not quite there with others in my community.
Yes, having gone through last election's misery I am not looking forward to the reactions to this election. It seems we have become "A country divided against itself" and our future is no longer rosy
"My fear is that groups will not accept the popular vote..." This "prominent election lawyer" needs to go back to law school. The so-called popular vote is not the legal way elections are decided, and there is a good reason. We do not have a direct democracy, never did, and hopefully never will.
He was referring to the popular vote count within each state and district, which absolutely does matter and determines how that state’s electoral votes get allocated and who wine state and local elections
Still, it's a point worth making when one considers how many who supported Clinton in 2016 felt that the election of Trump was illegitimate, as she "won" the nationwide popular vote back then. I agree that the non-acceptance of statewide popular votes is a concern since ballot boxes have already been burned in the northwest, and folks in line have been turned away in PA.
Thought this could be appreciated. I went to CHAT GPT and asked for a funny letter regarding election worries, a letter that included some facts about quantum physics and the Buddhist concept of groundlessness. Hold on to your hat! Here it is:
Dear Earthlings, Greetings from the High Council of the Galactic Federation. We understand you’ve got a big presidential election coming up, and we’d like to offer some... cosmic perspective. Our data tells us anxiety is running high, and frankly, our sensors are picking up a lot of solid, tense energy all over America. It’s a bit thick, like spiritual mashed potatoes.
Let us assure you, all that solidity? It’s a total illusion. Here’s a fun fact: atoms—the very building blocks of everything you’re fretting over—are mostly empty space. Like, 99.999999999% empty. So that chair you’re sitting on, the walls around you, and yes, even the political landscape you think is so “heavy and real”—they’re mostly empty fluff. And if your reality is mostly made of emptiness, then what are you worrying about?
We understand, you’re saying, “But Council, have you seen our news?” Indeed, we have. But listen, your minds cling to certainty like toddlers to sticky lollipops. The more you grasp at the idea that everything is set in stone, the heavier everything feels. And honestly, Earthlings, you’re ready for something much lighter. Picture this: every candidate, every news pundit, everyone—each with a giant helium balloon, floating skyward, no ground below. Does it change things? Well, maybe not in terms of results, but it sure changes the vibe, doesn’t it?
Consider our next suggestion, dear friends: Let go of the need to see everything as fixed, decided, and solid. Imagine a world where instead of bracing against every news headline, you let it float right by, like cosmic confetti. Practice the fine art of "groundlessness." We guarantee this: you’ll spend less time gripping and far more time laughing (which we’ve noted is way better for your species' health).
So, next time you feel a surge of worry about who’s winning, losing, or trending—try imagining the whole scene as a cartoon. Let your leaders hover with helium balloons, a little wobbly and bewildered, just as confused by this “solidity” thing as everyone else. Don’t take the show too seriously, because it’s just that: a show. In the great cosmic story, this moment is as brief as a wink.
In closing, may you enjoy your ride, lighten your grip, and perhaps float a bit higher. Reality isn’t what it seems, so let go, tune in to your inner lightness, and remember: the universe is one big, empty, giggling playground.
Yours in groundlessness,
The Galactic Federation Council of High Vibes and Frequent Giggles
Interesting. Truly, the intelligence that wrote this piece is artificial.