Thread by @ClimateAudit

Toronto has MLB team. In Canada, there are no mail-in ballots or ballot harvesting. Nearly all votes on one day, in person with ID. Votes are counted in front of scrutineers from each(all) parties. Does new MLB policy prevent Toronto from hosting future all-star game?

https://twitter.com/MZHemingway/status/1378354259536797700

if Canada is required to allow US-style ballot harvesting and non-ID mail-in ballots in order to host a future all-star game, then count me out.

to be more precise, Canada does permit residents to apply for absentee ballots and submit such ballots by mail under restricted circumstances. Percentage is small. We do not have mass mailings of ballots to voter list or abuse of absentee ballots.

to be precise, there are provisions in Canadian law (that, even as long-time voter, I was unaware of) permitting voters with valid ID to obtain mail-in ballot by applying during a campaign. Ballot harvesting is illegal in Canada.

There is no blind mailing of ballots to an entire voting list, as appears to have happened in some states. Voters are not allowed to make permanent request for mail-in ballot, but must apply during a campaign. (Which, in Canada, are only a few months).

I'm not familiar with exactly what MLB is taking exception to in Georgia election law, but, to the extent that it revolves around voter ID (as is my understanding), voter ID is absolutely required in Canada. I hope MLB doesn't meddle here.

here are top 5 issues in New York Times' list of supposed problems with Georgia law. nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/… Nothing in these items that is not already practice in Canada. 1) voters in Canada can only request absentee ballots during a campaign. Standing request not allowed.

2/ strict voter ID requirements in Canada. 3/ absentee ballots or applications are not sent to all voters; 4/ no drop boxes; 5/ no mobile voting centers.

I am profoundly uninterested in opinion of MLB on such issues in Canada.

a reader complained that first five NYT comments not the most problematic. Here are other issues
8/ early voting expanded in a lot of small counties. Isn't that something that Dems want?
9/ the food and water thing seems stupid, but something that Georgians could solve themselves

10/ if you go to wrong polling place in Canada, you don't get to vote there. Period. Not MLB issue.
11/ how hard should it be to extend voting hours? Reasonable people can disagree on this. Not MLB issue.

12/ opponents worry that changes will mean "long wait for results". Huh? US elections already have absurdly long wait for results relative to Canada and other jurisdictions. Surely efforts to validate IDs in real time will reduce such waits and is reason for validating IDs.

13/ election officials in Canada are NOT allowed to accept third party funding. The very idea of third party interest groups funding election officials would be anathema in Canada. It's NOT an issue that MLB should be taking position on, let alone moving all-star game for.

indeed, the fact that the perceived conflict arising from funding of election officials by third party interest groups fuels conspiracy theories, valid or otherwise, is one more good reason to prohibit the practice. Not an MLB issue.

14/ a hotline to report voter fraud. Why is anyone objecting to this? Not a MLB issue.
15/ more control by legislature over State Election Board. Is MLB going to examine relationship between legislatures and election boards in all jurisdictions? Exactly what relationship between

exactly what relationship between legislature and state election board will meet MLB standards? What are MLB standards for an acceptable legislature-election board relationship? What research have they done on issue?

16/ secretary of state removed as ex officio member of State Election Board. So what. On what basis does MLB purport to have a policy on whether state secretary is or isn't ex officio member of State Election Board. I don't want MLB telling Canadians on such matters.

17/ should state legislatures be empowered to suspend county election officials? In Canada, I'm pretty sure that province can remove local election officials at will, but don't know that. It doesn't seem unreasonable a priori. Regardless, it isn't MLB business.

18/ "runoff elections will happen faster". Seems like good idea. Runoff elections in most applicable countries happen very fast. Not MLB business.