A democracy is only as strong as our ability to participate in it. Come November, President Donald Trump is going to try to silence us in any way he can, whether it be by making it harder to register, intimidating voters or denying the results. The administration recognizes a shift in policy mood: people are fed up with Trump, terrified of the gestapo tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and will likely vote blue this coming midterm. In a situation like this, most presidents would try to sway voters. Trump is trying to stop them.
A few weeks ago, our president suggested cancelling the midterms because of his administration’s “success.” Trump also continues to float the idea of running for a third term, or, as he puts it, a fourth term — because he believes the 2020 election was stolen. Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, recently called for the president “to have ICE surround the polls come November.” Needless to say, this is voter intimidation and it’s against the law — but what good are laws if our president doesn’t respect them? Furthermore, Trump’s supporter base is blindly loyal and has a track record for attempting to overthrow the government, so there’s no doubt in my mind that they will rush to the polls to stop the left from voting if Trump tells them to.
It’s not a coincidence that we’re also witnessing an alarming resurgence in 2020 election fraud rhetoric. Kurt Olsen, Trump’s new director of election security, is a 2020 election denier. He has recently been granted access to CIA intelligence covering the 2020 election and insurrection, making him one of the most powerful lawyers in America. While an ICE presence at the polls is possible, the more daunting threat to our democracy is the potential of Trump denying disputed election results and loyal Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refusing to swear in the Democratic winners. The Trump administration is going to do everything in its power to stop us from getting to the polls, and then, if Democrats still win, they’re going to deny the results.
Furthermore, the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to present a valid U.S. passport or a birth certificate at the polls just passed the House. The problem? Twenty one million people lack ready access to these documents, according to the Brennan Center. Half of all Americans and two-thirds of Black Americans don’t have a passport, according to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Furthermore, any Americans who have changed their names — namely, married women and transgender folks — will have to jump through hoop after hoop to vote this November. Voting is supposed to give a voice to the America that needs it most — this bill muffles it. Trump is pushing the bill hard by threatening to issue an executive order equivalent before the midterms. The reality, however, is that he doesn’t actually care if it makes it through the Senate — he wins regardless. If the bill passes, we’re more likely to witness a low minority voter turnout, improving the odds of a Republican victory. If it dies in the Senate, Trump can call the midterm election results fraudulent, denying the results and blaming the Democrats for allowing “illegal aliens” to steal the election.
So what can we do? First, tell everyone you know to renew all of their identifying documents. If your mother changed her last name and it doesn’t reflect her ID, prioritize getting that adjusted in time for the election. If your friend is transgender, make sure they have a form of ID that reflects their new name. In the event that a poll worker refuses you or someone else the right to vote, look for a volunteer attorney at the voting site and, if no attorney is present, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) — which will connect you with a national nonprofit for support. The Trump administration will do everything in their power to stop minorities from voting, especially in contentious districts, but if we band together to ensure every American voice is heard this November, we might have a fighting chance.
Furthermore, if you see ICE surrounding the polls, call the police. Voter intimidation is illegal and local law enforcement should remove them from the area. If Trump extremists are surrounding the polls, whether they have firearms or are simply harassing voters, call the police.
You might think the title of this article is dramatic — it’s not. Republicans know that their midterm prospects aren’t looking good, and thus will outspend Democrats, impede and deny the election, and enjoy every second of flushing the founding principles of our nation down the toilet. The action items listed in this article might be enough to stop this massacre of our democracy — they also might not be. I urge you to consider: come November, when Trump rigs the midterm, are you going to let him get away with it?
Opinion articles represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
