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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
It's only parts of Indiana, in fact it's one less part than it should be as (quoting the 538 team) "A crucial Indiana county for Democrats — home of Indiana University’s flagship campus in Bloomington — is keeping polls open an extra hour."
Still first polls are closed, let's roll people.
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ CyranEdited by AzurePaladin on Nov 6th 2018 at 6:07:52 AM
The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer![]()
Someone used the wrong pronoun for Sessions and she attempted to make a joke about it based around the idea of him in drag.
Edited by Silasw on Nov 6th 2018 at 11:12:03 AM
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Or, considering the joke about Bottom Surgery, him being Trans. Which would be bad on any old day, but considering the policies the administration has been pushing through...
Surely, we can make fun of Sessions without resorting to cheap gags like that.
Edited by AzurePaladin on Nov 6th 2018 at 6:15:05 AM
The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -FighteerI'm watching the New York Times website and it looks like Indiana 2 and 9 will be the first ones we get solid numbers out of (both are leading in their count right now at 3%), both are safe republican seats but the margins may give us some indicator as to how the night is going.
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran@Rogue Penguin: I know you're only replying to someone, but that doesn't indicate voter surpression in any way, voters would immediately complain to the present press about intimidation and the news would spread.
This is just making sure there is no fraud on the districts that will likely be down to the wire and a couple of votes might spell a different final tally for each party.
Life is unfair...Sessions' name was misspelled. And my brain went to Jeff Sessions + Jessica Rabbit = nope.
If you want to read more into that, go ahead. My brain is distressing me enough with the thought of poor, unsuspecting sequins being near the guy.
He just doesn't have the vavavoom to pull the look off.
Edited by Euodiachloris on Nov 6th 2018 at 11:30:46 AM
So far all I'm seeing in two districts with 3% reporting, which is far to low a number to draw anything from.
We've got the exit polls, which indicate healthcare as the big factor that people voted based on (41%), with people also favouring Democratic House control by about 10%, voting to oppose Trump rather than to support him by about 10% and Trump having a minus 11% approval rating.
Said numbers however may change, but if they're right we can expect the Dem popular vote margin to be around the 10% area (which is where the generic ballot has had it for a while now).
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Reading tropes such as You Know What You Did
The video's not working even after several tries so here are some reports on Jeff Sessions voter intimidation. Broad strokes version is political analysts likening Sessions to Arafat and his Hamas terrorists standing watch at voting booths.
Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions accused of intimidation over voter fraud claims
Washington | President Donald Trump and Attorney-General Jeff Sessions on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) issued strong warnings about the threat of voter fraud in Tuesday's elections, echoing the President's baseless claims that massive voter fraud marred his 2016 election and prompting accusations that his administration was trying to intimidate voters.
In a tweet early on Monday, Mr Trump said that law enforcement has been "strongly notified" to watch for "ILLEGAL VOTING". He promised that anyone caught voting improperly would be subjected to "Maximum Criminal Penalties". Mr Sessions, in a statement laying out the Justice Department's plans to monitor ballot access on election day, said "fraud in the voting process will not be tolerated. Fraud also corrupts the integrity of the ballot".
In remarks to reporters on his way to a campaign rally in Cleveland, Mr Trump also falsely claimed that voter fraud was commonplace.
"Just take a look," he said. "All you have to do is go around, take a look at what's happened over the years, and you'll see. There are a lot of people – a lot of people – in my opinion, and based on proof, that try and get in illegally and actually vote illegally. So we just want to let them know that there will be prosecutions at the highest level."
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the United States. Mr Trump formed a commission to study the issue shortly after he took office that was disbanded without finding evidence of fraud after states refused to turn over voter data.
Voting rights advocates denounced Mr Trump's remarks as a blatant attempt to intimidate voters on the eve of election day – and part of a pattern among Republicans, they said, to curtail voting access with strict rules that disproportionately affect voters of colour who tend to vote Democratic.
"I find this kind of conduct incredibly anti-patriotic," said Kristen Clarke, who leads the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a voting rights group that has successfully challenged several new voting restrictions across the country this year.
"At a time when we need our White House and Justice Department speaking out against the relentless campaign of voter suppression in this election cycle, it defies reason."
Accusations of voter fraud and voter suppression have roared to the forefront in several closely contested races this year, raising the possibility of recounts and disputed results among dozens of races for House, Senate and governor. Volunteer lawyers
Anticipating possible problems at the polls, political parties, interest groups and voting rights organisations have organised "war rooms" to watch Tuesday's elections unfold and recruited thousands of volunteer lawyers to monitor precincts across the country.
In his statement, Mr Sessions said the Justice Department would follow its usual protocol of sending monitors across the country to protect against voter suppression, intimidation and discrimination; this year, staff will travel to 35 jurisdictions in 19 states to monitor compliance with voting laws.
In past years, Justice Department officials have not listed voter fraud as a top concern when announcing the deployment of election monitors, as Mr Sessions did on Monday.
"It's indicative of a pattern with this administration," said David Vance, a spokesman for Common Cause, a civil rights group that helped recruit 6500 volunteers to monitor polling locations across the country. "It's an effort to intimidate voters and keep them away from the polls and try to dictate which voters will turn out and which voters won't. It flies in the face of what the DOJ has done traditionally to protect voters."
Homeland Security officials also urged vigilance about a different kind of threat to election security: interference by foreign actors, particularly Russia. They "continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord", such as spreading disinformation on social media, officials said in a statement.
'Instilling Fear in the 11th Hour': Experts Warn Trump DOJ Poll Monitors Being Sent to Intimidate Voters, Not Protect Them
In a move civil rights groups denounced as a blatant attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate minorities, spread hysteria about non-existent voter fraud, and suppress turnout, the Justice Department announced on Monday that it is dispatching personnel to "monitor" 35 voting locations in 19 states during Tuesday's midterms just as President Donald Trump warned in a tweet that any "illegal voting" will be punished with "maximum criminal penalties."
"Attorney General Jeff Sessions does not have his eyes set on voter suppression but is instead exploiting this moment to push a false narrative about voter fraud."
"We condemn the Justice Department's announcement regarding the deployment of federal observers," Kristen Clarke, president and CEO of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement. "In stark contrast to how these observers have been deployed in the past, Attorney General Jeff Sessions does not have his eyes set on voter suppression and last-minute intimidation but is instead exploiting this moment to push a false narrative about voter fraud."
"At every turn, this Justice Department has failed to take action to enforce the Voting Rights Act and protect the interests of minority voters. And the latest announcement from DOJ makes clear that this is still the case," Clarke continued. "This is a Justice Department that has abandoned its mission and lost its way."
We've heard repeatedly from voters on our 866-OUR-VOTE hotline that they do not find this DOJ responsive to concerns about voter suppression. The record supports their concerns.
We urge the public to call our Election Protection hotline for trusted help. @Lawyers Comm https://t.co/Ilb5rSjGcR
— Kristen Clarke 866-OUR-VOTE (@Kristen Clarke JD) November 5, 2018
States the Justice Department said it plans to monitor during Tuesday's midterm elections include Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Texas, where extremely close and significant races have drawn national attention. In a press release on Monday, the Justice Department provided a full list of counties it plans to watch.
Asked by Buzzfeed reporter Dominic Holden why it chose these particular locations, the Justice Department dodged the question and vaguely cited a "number of factors."
DOJ sending staff to monitor 35 jurisdictions for compliance with voting rights laws — here’s DOJ press release with the list. pic.twitter.com/U Rs3u M 28 ZH
— Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) November 5, 2018
The Justice Department's announcement came at almost the same time as Trump warned—for the second time in just a few weeks—that all "illegal voting" will be severely punished.
"Law enforcement has been strongly notified to watch closely for any illegal voting which may take place in Tuesday's election (or early voting)," Trump declared on Twitter. "Anyone caught will be subject to the maximum criminal penalties allowed by law."
Law Enforcement has been strongly notified to watch closely for any ILLEGAL VOTING which may take place in Tuesday’s Election (or Early Voting). Anyone caught will be subject to the Maximum Criminal Penalties allowed by law. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2018
The president's threat immediately sparked backlash from advocacy groups and legal experts who have been fighting back against the GOP's efforts to suppress voter turnout ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, where they face the prospect of losing control of Congress.
"This is a shameful, disgraceful, and naked voter suppression attempt intended on breaking people's spirit and instilling fear in the 11th hour," Clarke of the Lawyer's Committee wrote on Twitter. "Black people and people of color have seen these schemes throughout history. We rejected them then and we reject them now."
Given the Justice Department's record under Sessions—which, as Ian Millhiser notes at Think Progress, shows it doesn't "give a damn about voting rights"—the White House's last-ditch attempt to drive down turnout did not entirely surprise civil rights groups, which have been urging all voters to immediately report any intimidation they experience or witness.
"Being struck by lightning is more common than voter impersonation fraud," the ACLU wrote on Twitter. "Voter intimidation is also incredibly rare, but one way to recognize it is the threat of law enforcement at the polls. If you witness voter intimidation, call 866-OUR-VOTE."
Being struck by lightning is more common than voter impersonation fraud.
Voter intimidation is also incredibly rare, but one way to recognize it is the threat of law enforcement at the polls.
If you witness voter intimidation, call 866-OUR-VOTE. https://t.co/DJbGy3oda4
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-tries-his-hand-at-voter-suppression
Just minutes after the Department of Justice announced its plans to monitor the states’ compliance with federal voting laws during Tuesday’s midterm elections, President Trump tweeted out what read like last-ditch effort of voter suppression.
“Law Enforcement has been strongly notified to watch closely for any ILLEGAL VOTING which may take place in Tuesday’s Election (or Early Voting),” Trump wrote on Monday morning. “Anyone caught will be subject to the Maximum Criminal Penalties allowed by law. Thank you!”
Law Enforcement has been strongly notified to watch closely for any ILLEGAL VOTING which may take place in Tuesday’s Election (or Early Voting). Anyone caught will be subject to the Maximum Criminal Penalties allowed by law. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2018
The threat concluded an early-morning rant from the president about various Democratic senators running for re-election, and CNN, which Trump accused of being the true culprit in voter-suppression efforts.
“So funny to see the CNN Fake Suppression Polls and false rhetoric. Watch for real results Tuesday. We are lucky CNN’s ratings are so low. Don’t fall for the Suppression Game,” Trump wrote.
It is not immediately clear if, in fact, the federal government sent a “notification” to states to look for illegal voting, or any attempt to specify the penalties Trump described.
With the midterm vote less than 24 hours away,Trump’s warning and overtly hostile effort to protect the Republican-controlled House and Senate breaks from his own Justice Department, which—after weeks of scrutiny for its silence in light of various suppression efforts—is now publicly committed to a fair election.
“Voting rights are constitutional rights, and they’re part of what it means to be an American,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in statement on Monday. “The Department of Justice has been entrusted with an indispensable role in securing these rights for the people of this nation. This year we are using every lawful tool that we have, both civil and criminal, to protect the rights of millions of Americans to cast their vote unimpeded at one of more than 170,000 precincts across America.”
The statement continued: “Citizens of America control this country through their selection of their governmental officials at the ballot box. Likewise, fraud in the voting process will not be tolerated. Fraud also corrupts the integrity of the ballot.”
The agency acknowledged that while state and local governments are responsible for administering elections in the United States, the DOJ’s civil-rights division will enforce the voting-rights laws “that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot on Election Day.”
The president’s warning comes as Democratic enthusiasm is seemingly at an all-time high, with states, counties, and districts across the nation reporting record turnouts just from early voting.
Early polls indicate that instead of the usual turnout of 30 percent of Americans voting in the midterms, this year’s vote could see a 20-percent increase, with numbers mirroring the 2016 presidential election.
The DOJ plans to send officials to 35 jurisdictions in 19 states in an effort to monitor the vote on Tuesday—especially in places Republicans would ordinarily win, like North Dakota and Georgia, which have already experienced suppression efforts at the polls.
Donald Trump And Jeff Sessions Vowed To Punish Election “Fraud,” Raising Fears Of Voter Intimidation
The Justice Department says it’s enforcing laws that ensure the right to vote. But the president’s and attorney general’s language on Monday focused on fraud, which critics say could scare off legal voters.
Minutes before President Donald Trump warned on Twitter that he’d seek “Maximum Criminal Penalties” against anyone caught voting illegally in the midterms, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday he would deploy monitors to 35 jurisdictions across the country to ensure compliance with voting rights laws and stop “fraud in the voting process.”
While DOJ always monitors elections across the country, critics quickly lambasted Sessions for nurturing a narrative of widespread voter fraud, a right-wing myth that has been refuted time and again. Using the Justice Department’s megaphone this way, they said, twists the agency’s mission of fighting voter suppression to supporting voter intimidation.
“I have not seen DOJ send out that kind of threatening message before in its pre-election press releases,” Wendy Weiser, a voting expert at the Brennan Center for Justice, part of the NYU School of Law, told Buzz Feed News.
“It is my view that this kind of threatening language from the Department of Justice right before an election is inappropriate and can be interpreted as scaring voters in the targeted jurisdictions,” she said.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division typically monitors a few dozen counties in federal elections, with a focus on ensuring access to the ballot, particularly for historically disenfranchised populations like racial minorities and people with disabilities. The division will continue that practice this year, enforcing the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other civil rights laws.
But Sessions put a fine point on voter fraud.
“Citizens of America control this country through their selection of their governmental officials at the ballot box,” Sessions said. “Likewise, fraud in the voting process will not be tolerated. Fraud also corrupts the integrity of the ballot.”
The Justice Department said on Saturday that its US Attorneys’ Offices, which enforce voter fraud laws, would work with “specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible voter fraud are handled appropriately.”
Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told Buzz Feed News she was concerned both with Sessions’ “fraud” rhetoric and that some hot spots in Georgia aren’t being monitored.
No monitors are being deployed to Randolph County, where local officials this year had planned to shutter seven of nine polling sites — after the threat of a lawsuit, they reversed course. There also are no monitors being sent to Macon-Bibb County, where officials in 2016 tried to move a polling place in a black neighborhood to a sheriff’s office. Nor are there monitors this year in Hancock County, which the Justice Department did monitor in 2016; the county has been criticized for issuing summonses that require people to prove their voter registrations and adopting hyper-stringent standards for voting.
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions does not have his eyes set on voter suppression and last minute intimidation, but is instead exploiting this moment to push a false narrative about voter fraud,” said Clarke.
She added that the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law “condemn[s] the Justice Department's announcement regarding the deployment of federal observers. In stark contrast to how these observers have been deployed in the past, at every turn, this Justice Department has failed to take action to enforce the Voting Rights Act and protect the interests of minority voters.”
The Justice Department did not explain why it had picked the 35 jurisdictions for review, saying in a statement to Buzz Feed News that it “considers a number of factors,” including information from local officials and ongoing compliance reviews.
The Justice Department, under Sessions, has supported a restrictive voter ID law in Texas, reversing course from former president Barack Obama, who’d opposed the law.
The Justice Department under Obama also noted possible fraud in press releases, including in 2014 and 2016. But unlike Sessions, former attorney general Loretta Lynch focused her remarks before Election Day on increasing voter access, not fraud.
Justin Levitt, former head of the Justice Department’s Voting Rights Section under Obama, lamented Sessions’ language, but he believes the Civil Rights Division monitors on the ground will stick with protecting voting access, not going after fraud. “I don’t love the attorney general’s quote,” he told Buzz Feed News, saying that it “seems to be focused on fraud at polls more than prior A Gs have been on their pre-election press release. That’s in line with the president’s comments this morning.”
The Justice Department responded to critics by citing a statement Sessions issued on Saturday.
“The Department of Justice and its component agencies protect our democratic process year-round,” Sessions’ weekend statement said. “During election season, we put in place additional security awareness and monitoring measures with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure the securest possible settings for our elections. Any attempts to interfere or subvert our democratic process by foreign or domestic entities will be met with severe consequences. The American people can be confident that their voices will be heard.”
Weiser added, “Just because Jeff Sessions and the like are using intimidating language, that doesn’t mean that voters should be worried. The Civil Rights Division’s mission is to protect voters, and that is what they are being deployed to do here.”
Edited by tsstevens on Nov 6th 2018 at 10:52:02 PM
Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than YoursFirst call of the night, Kentucky 5th, it's a safe republican district that 538 expect the republicans to hold with a 51% majority, which is exactly what the New York times have it it right now.
Please use a folder if you're going to quote an entire article.
Edited by Silasw on Nov 6th 2018 at 11:35:44 AM
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran

538's Final Forecast In The Senate, House And Gubernatorial Races
Main take away: