According to the polling aggregate at RealClearPolitics, Joe Biden leads Donald rump by about seven points in the national polls. That lead is larger than any candidate in the previous four presidential races has held at this point in the cycle. For Trump supporters, that’s bad news, which is why it is becoming apparent that the only way he can win is to cheat.
True to himself, Trump has been broadcasting some of the ways he is likely to cheat by referring to the 2020 election—and specifically the use of mail-in ballots during a pandemic—as the most corrupt in this country’s history. His message is meant to undermine voter’s trust in the outcome, which is a form of voter suppression.
According to the New York Times, the Biden campaign’s response has been to build “the largest election protection program in presidential campaign history.” The goal is to both litigate legal battles related to vote casting and counting rules, as well as a communication effort to ensure that voters make a plan to cast a ballot as soon as possible.
Heading up the entire effort will be Biden’s legal counsel Dana Remus and former White House Counsel Bob Bauer. A special litigation unit will be headed by Donald B. Verrilli Jr. and Walter Dellinger, two former solicitors general, with former Attorney General Eric Holder coordinating the campaign’s efforts with outside groups. They will be joined by hundreds of lawyers, including a team from the law firm led by Marc Elias, who recently launched the platform Democracy Docket.
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee has launched a sophisticated website called I Will Vote to provide voters with information specific to the state in which they live. It allows voters to both register and request a mail-in ballot directly from the website. Online organizers can then follow up with those who have requested a ballot to make sure it is sent, received, and counted.
Paying attention to the risks involved with the spread of coronavirus, the DNC has replaced their door-knocking efforts with a digital outreach that, via texting and phone calls to potential voters, represents a kind of tech support to help people navigate the complexities of voting this year.
These efforts are not only about increasing turnout. They’re designed to counter Trump’s lies about fraud by ensuring voters that, just as we’ve held fair elections during the Civil War and the Great Depression, we can do so again amidst the challenges we face right now.
