Dear @AOC: I heard you claimed on @BretBaier's show that there was "rampant voter suppression" here in Michigan which prevented Bernie supporters from voting. Your "evidence" for this is that some college kids had to wait several hours to vote. 1/
I agree that you shouldn't have to wait several hours to vote, which is why it's such a great thing that in 2020, Michigan voters had SIX WEEKS to vote by mail, which they DIDN'T have in 2016. I also agree that you shouldn't have to wait several hours to *register* to vote... 2/
...which is why it's such a great thing that in 2020, Michigan residents were allowed to REGISTER to vote RIGHT UP THROUGH ELECTION DAY, which they COULDN'T do in 2016 (you had to be registered at least 30 days *before* e-day back then). Yet even with the addition of both... 3/
...Bernie ended up receiving over 3.7% *FEWER* votes in 2020 than he did in 2016 (he went from 598,943 to 576,580...a drop of 22,363 primary votes).
"But it was a crowded field!" Yes, it was. Let's add 100% of Warren votes. That brings it to 602,626, an increase of 0.6%. 4/
"But it was a crowded field!" Yes, it was. Let's add 100% of Warren votes. That brings it to 602,626, an increase of 0.6%. 4/
Now, how about Biden 2020 vs. Hillary 2016?
Hillary 2016: 581,775 MI primary votes
Biden 2020: 838,515 MI primary votes
That's a 44% increase for a candidate who's arguably even more "establishment" (36yrs Senate, 8yrs VP) than Hillary (8yrs 1st Lady, 8yrs Senator, 4yrs SoS).
Hillary 2016: 581,775 MI primary votes
Biden 2020: 838,515 MI primary votes
That's a 44% increase for a candidate who's arguably even more "establishment" (36yrs Senate, 8yrs VP) than Hillary (8yrs 1st Lady, 8yrs Senator, 4yrs SoS).
None of this is to downplay voter suppression in general--it's VERY real in many states & is done *by the GOP* to suppress *Dem* voters--but you claimed it was done *in MI* which just passed MASSIVE voting rights reform, specifically to suppress BERNIE supporters, which is BS. /6
One more thing, @AOC: I see that you clarified that you aren't blaming Bernie's *loss* on suppression, just some of the margin ("rampant" suppression was your term)...except for one thing...
...by all accounts, the vast majority of those long lines in college towns you referred to were college kids REGISTERING at literally the last minute...something which, again, they wouldn't have even been able to do AT ALL until last year:
And when I say "literally the last minute" I mean EXACTLY THAT:
Over 6,000 people (presumably those college kids in the video clip) waited until there was less than 3 1/2 hours left on election day before even *showing up* to REGISTER to vote.
Over 6,000 people (presumably those college kids in the video clip) waited until there was less than 3 1/2 hours left on election day before even *showing up* to REGISTER to vote.
After all, if Ann Arbor really *was* "suppressing* first-time college-age voters, that means they *deliberately* understaffed/etc. to slow down the registration line, right? Well, guess what?
Point being there's a BIG DIFFERENCE between "deliberately suppressing the vote" and "this was the 1st time we've had e-day registration, and officials in a few college towns honestly underestimated how many college students would wait until literally the last minute to do so."
The reason I (and many others in Michigan) are so pissed off about the brief comments is that many voting rights activists here in MI *busted their asses* to get Proposal 3 passed in 2018, which made both registration AND voting MASSIVELY easier for EVERYONE.
Is there still room for improvement? Of course, & I'm sure the clerks at city/county levels as well as SoS @JocelynBenson will review how things went on 3/10 and will make some tweaks for our Aug primary & Nov general...but to call THIS "suppression" is offensive to the extreme.
