Today I was at the ground level watching as misinformation spread first locally and then nationally about voter fraud in Maricopa County.
I have some thoughts.
I have some thoughts.
First, no idea when I first got the innocent question from @jboehm_NEWS ‘Can you use Sharpie on a ballot?’
Would lead to this.
Would lead to this.
We both kind of remembered that Sharpie was Ok. But I just looked up what the county has on its website and sent it to her.
Yep. Sharpie is fine.
We both went back to work, unassuming.
Yep. Sharpie is fine.
We both went back to work, unassuming.
Meanwhile worry started to spread - about how the Sharpie poll workers gave out bled through voters ballots. Others had a ballot machine that wouldn’t take their ballot and they assumed it was the Sharpies. They started calling Republican elected officials and the AG’s office
Republican leaders here started to question things on social media. That’s when things took off.
Meanwhile, the county kept reiterating - Sharpies were fine. Sharpies had been tested. Ballots that went into the machine were counted.
But misinformation spread
Meanwhile, the county kept reiterating - Sharpies were fine. Sharpies had been tested. Ballots that went into the machine were counted.
But misinformation spread
After hearing from a few people who had legitimate concerns about their polling place issues (ballots rejected at first from machines) I posted on Twitter asking people to call me if they had a rejected ballot.
Still trying to process what happened next.
Still trying to process what happened next.
Dozens of people texted and called.
But the whole point of this thread was- most just had bad information.
They had heard on social media that Sharpie didn’t work so they were worried. But when I asked if their ballot went into the machine ok, they said yes.
But the whole point of this thread was- most just had bad information.
They had heard on social media that Sharpie didn’t work so they were worried. But when I asked if their ballot went into the machine ok, they said yes.
Repeating this part: They heard on social media that Sharpies didn’t work.
Some did more research but many did not. Many did not try to call the county, many did not look for an official source, many did not read the excellent explainer @rachelleingang quickly got on our website
Some did more research but many did not. Many did not try to call the county, many did not look for an official source, many did not read the excellent explainer @rachelleingang quickly got on our website
Even though I’ve seen before how misinformation can spread on social media, this was my first time really this deep into it at the ground level.
It leaves me puzzled, really. And hoping there are soon ways we can figure out a way to combat this.
Open to your thoughts.
It leaves me puzzled, really. And hoping there are soon ways we can figure out a way to combat this.
Open to your thoughts.
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