As the United States of America enters the final days of an important election period, there have been signs that voter intimidation may be underway. This happens when people basically scare the hell out of each other at polling places.
Donald Trump is running for re-election to a second term as president. Joe Biden, a former vice president to President Barack Obama, is Trump’s Democratic opponent. There has been so much hate expressed by both campaigns that this election has been marked as extremely important.
Trump has encouraged his people to monitor polling places. That can cause voter intimidation.
Voter intimidation is nothing new. It has happened in the past. There is a danger that it will happen this year because some people in power have said that the election will be unfair and unfair. Some people will take it upon themselves to try to make sure the election is legal. By doing so, they can intimidate voters.
People who have been the targets of voter intimidation in the past have primarily been Black people and other people of color, as well as immigrants. Their votes were seen by the opposition as meaningless.
This election year has been very unusual. There has been more hate than ever expressed. High levels of hateful rhetoric have caused tensions to rise. People are not afraid to show their hate.
Far-right extremists and self-proclaimed vigilante groups have said they will protect polling places. Their very appearance will serve to intimidate people trying to vote. They will try to scare voters out of voting if they feel they might vote for the wrong side.
Battleground states are expected to be particularly hard hit by voter intimidation.
Many people in the United States will vote by mail. They are unlikely to be subject to electoral intimidation. Your mailed-in ballots can be placed in the mailbox or placed in special ballot collection boxes. People aren’t likely to use their scare tactics in those places.
Millions of people have already voted early. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of voter intimidation at those polling places.
It may happen on the last day of voting, which had been the normal way of voting until this year. Changes were made due to the coronavirus pandemic and the issues that have come with that issue.
Voters must know and realize that voter intimidation is illegal. There are federal and state laws. People can report such behavior to the authorities. It should not be tolerated.