If an election is worth winning, then there is someone willing to - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“ If an election is worth winning, then there is someone willing to steal it.” Michael Roman, Special Assistant to President Trump in Nancy Cook, “The mysterious oppo researcher working in the White House lawyer's office”, Politico, February 11, 2018, last accessed 04/04/2018 at https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/11/trump-oppo-researcher-roman-403138 “I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy: Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide .” John F. Kennedy, speaking at Gridiron Club in 1958 https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_f_kennedy_404009

Democracy Counts!, Inc. A California nonprofit corporation dedicated to * Restoring voting rights *Ensuring that declared winners are the true winners *Ending government paralysis in the face of crises Same-day election audits Voter-suppression audits 6/15/2019

The Problem Government is paralyzed * It will not protect our elections! * “ Mitch McConnell is Making the 2020 Election Open Season for Hackers” The New Yorker Magazine, June 11, 2019 http://bit.ly/2WKMDdo

Existing election integrity strategies can’t meet the challenge  Lobbying is least effective where the reforms are most needed  Politicians who owe their positions to existing arrangements will not change the arrangements voluntarily  Lobbying does not inspire mass citizen involvement  Speculation-based challenges fail in court  Small-scale audits fail in court

Government may be paralyzed, But American citizens are not. And lobbying may be ineffective, But we can act anyway! Democracy Counts’ same -day election audit system empowers us to be protectors of democracy

D.C.’s same-day election audit system  Inspires and empowers ordinary people  Can be used everywhere in the U.S.  Delivers data quickly  Leverages the judicial system  Disrupts the political status quo …then rinses and repeats

Audits will weaken the power of hyperpartisans  Exposing error and fraud will provoke investigations and prosecutions, eliminate impunity, increase deterrence  Solid data on voter suppression will produce injunctions, lead to new case law protecting the right to vote  Eliminating fraud and reducing suppression will make gerrymandered districts vulnerable to increases in voter turnout  Governments will become more representative and more able to implement solutions to the crises we face

Audit-based lawsuits challenging suspicious elections will meet the four-part judicial test for injunctions “[S] howings of irreparable injury, inadequacy of legal remedies, a balance of hardships tipping in favor of the party seeking the injunction, and consideration of the public interest are all necessary before an injunction may issue.” Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms (Monsanto)

The Core Audit Tools Compares polling place results with official “Data Preservation App” results, exposes “fraud in transmission” Reproduces vote tallies from inside the “Parallel Vote App ” polling places; exposes ballot-level fraud Quantifies effects of suppression, “Voter Suppression App ” allows effective legal attack Real-time reports by voters and observers, “Incident Reports App” enables quick evidence-rich legal challenges

Key Audit Processes ......Post-Election..... ..Pre-Election.. ... Election Day and Night ... Legal Pre-election Data Injured analysis analysis analysis Parties Audit Decision Data Design to Sue base Recruiting Injunctions, Apps & Training Courts investigations Audit Official Auditors Voter data Results + Education Systemic Voters Consequences

Successful Beta Tests  California primary, June 2016 Clinton/Sanders race  Broward County, FL, November 2018 Wasserman Schultz/Canova race

FAQs  No official permission or cooperation is required  Though official cooperation is desirable and helpful  Use of system is protected by the First Amendment  Government officials cannot legally prevent use of tools  Collects evidence of constitutional injuries of every kind  E.g., voter roll stripping, dirty tricks, intimidation, etc. etc.  Voter education conducted through civil society organizations, e.g., churches, service clubs  Improves operation of system  May improve voter turnout and civic participation in general

Help Democracy Counts! protect your democracy Contribute on GoFundMe.com (search on “Democracy Counts”) Make introductions to influencers, help obtain endorsements Host a house party to learn more and spread the word Write an article in a newsletter or newspaper Join a local audit team For Further Information: www.democracycounts.org info@democracycounts.org Thank you!