Thread
1/ I’ve left Twitter, and I’m pleased to return to the “outside” world.
To those familiar w/me & my expertise in elections, technology, media & defense of democracy: It’s past time to roll up our sleeves. See🧵 below.
Interested in how I might help your organization?
Plz DM me.
To those familiar w/me & my expertise in elections, technology, media & defense of democracy: It’s past time to roll up our sleeves. See🧵 below.
Interested in how I might help your organization?
Plz DM me.
2/ With US elections around the corner, here are my top-line thoughts:
The main theme we should anticipate in the next month are numerous examples of *manufactured chaos.*
What is this? >>>
The main theme we should anticipate in the next month are numerous examples of *manufactured chaos.*
What is this? >>>
3/ *Manufactured chaos* includes coordinated attempts to interfere with — and potentially overwhelm — normal election administration processes (including procedures and/or technology), based on a priori assumptions of malfeasance, even when allegations are not supported by facts.
4/ A trademark of manufactured chaos is its selective narrative in support of the Big Lie.
“They have a view of elections, and they're looking for information to confirm what they believe about elections."
@C_C_Krebs
@TexasTribune
www.texastribune.org/2022/09/30/operation-eagle-wings-texas-elections/?edit&draft&utm_campaign=trib-s...
“They have a view of elections, and they're looking for information to confirm what they believe about elections."
@C_C_Krebs
@TexasTribune
www.texastribune.org/2022/09/30/operation-eagle-wings-texas-elections/?edit&draft&utm_campaign=trib-s...
5/ Why is this happening now, at this scale?
Manufactured chaos has been enabled & accelerated by one cataclysmic change:
The essential wall between impartial, sober, technocratic election administration vs political warfare has been largely decimated.
bipartisanpolicy.org/report/the-dangers-of-partisan-incentives-for-election-officials/
Manufactured chaos has been enabled & accelerated by one cataclysmic change:
The essential wall between impartial, sober, technocratic election administration vs political warfare has been largely decimated.
bipartisanpolicy.org/report/the-dangers-of-partisan-incentives-for-election-officials/
6/ Our democracy is under threat because it’s now viewed as legitimate political discourse in some quarters to cast doubt upon the very idea that US elections are run fairly and competently -- and therefore result in transfers of power that can be deemed legitimate.
7/ IOW, political actors are dragging election officials and their profession onto the scorched-earth political battlefield.
This has metastasized on a national scale to the point that it cannot be regarded as “normal” politics.
This is like a knife at democracy’s throat.
This has metastasized on a national scale to the point that it cannot be regarded as “normal” politics.
This is like a knife at democracy’s throat.
8/ Attacking the idea of legitimate election processes is insidious b/c it moves the goal posts and creates dramatic new threats.
In a world of fact-free conspiracies, outrageous claims are used to justify election interference that would have been wildly out-of-bounds before.
In a world of fact-free conspiracies, outrageous claims are used to justify election interference that would have been wildly out-of-bounds before.
9/ Manufactured Chaos Example #1:
- Flooding election officials with overwhelming numbers of record requests about the 2020 election (!), often copied & pasted, and devoid of a foundation in actual local voting processes.
www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-county-clerks-election-denier-cora-requests-public-record-midt...
- Flooding election officials with overwhelming numbers of record requests about the 2020 election (!), often copied & pasted, and devoid of a foundation in actual local voting processes.
www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-county-clerks-election-denier-cora-requests-public-record-midt...
10/ Manufactured Chaos Example #2:
- Intentionally inserting undisciplined partisans into the poll worker ranks, with the stated intention of overturning normal rules, standards, and values.
amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/09/07/politics/michigan-gop-poll-worker-training-invs/index.html
- Intentionally inserting undisciplined partisans into the poll worker ranks, with the stated intention of overturning normal rules, standards, and values.
amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/09/07/politics/michigan-gop-poll-worker-training-invs/index.html
11/ Manufactured Chaos Example #3:
- We should expect that there will likely be more unauthorized breaches of sensitive election technology by political actors. (See Maricopa Co, AZ; Fulton Co, PA; Coffee Co, GA)
@emmersbrown
- We should expect that there will likely be more unauthorized breaches of sensitive election technology by political actors. (See Maricopa Co, AZ; Fulton Co, PA; Coffee Co, GA)
@emmersbrown
12/ The growing list of biased partisan dilettantes that want to put their hands on sensitive voting equipment (which is operated in a highly specialized context they do not understand) is extremely troubling. It’s not normal, and it cannot be tolerated.
michiganadvance.com/blog/michigan-election-worker-charged-with-tampering-with-primary-election-equipm...
michiganadvance.com/blog/michigan-election-worker-charged-with-tampering-with-primary-election-equipm...
13/ Manufactured Chaos Example #4: Among the most dangerous examples of this tactic are insider threats — in Mesa Co, CO, a rogue election official worked with partisan actors to facilitate a breach of the county’s election management system.
@suehalpernVT
www.newyorker.com/news/american-chronicles/the-election-official-who-tried-to-prove-stop-the-steal
@suehalpernVT
www.newyorker.com/news/american-chronicles/the-election-official-who-tried-to-prove-stop-the-steal
14/ Manufactured chaos is Orwellian: it undermines public confidence in the legitimacy of election processes, even as its claimed goal is “election integrity.”
Actual facts from election officials are denied, and baseless lies are elevated.
apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-politics-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-c3d31b3b3c8957a5...
Actual facts from election officials are denied, and baseless lies are elevated.
apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-politics-voting-presidential-biden-cabinet-c3d31b3b3c8957a5...
15/ Manufactured chaos has a destabilizing effect, because innuendo and suspicion can be used to justify anti-democratic actions – like allowing state legislatures to nullify the popular vote, or mobilizing intimidating physical force for “protection.”
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/17/rightwing-sheriffs-trump-midterm-elections-voting-arizona
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/17/rightwing-sheriffs-trump-midterm-elections-voting-arizona
16/ So what can be done now?
First, it must be noted that w/elections only a month away, the laws, policies, procedures, and tech configurations that frame the election are already in place, and cannot be changed. That means transparency, facts, and education will be paramount.
First, it must be noted that w/elections only a month away, the laws, policies, procedures, and tech configurations that frame the election are already in place, and cannot be changed. That means transparency, facts, and education will be paramount.
17/ TO DO #1 -- Voters:
- If you have questions about voting, reach out to election officials (usu. your County or Town Clerk).
- Know that all methods of voting have rigorous protocols to ensure one person/one vote: by-mail, in-person Early, or in-person Election Day.
- If you have questions about voting, reach out to election officials (usu. your County or Town Clerk).
- Know that all methods of voting have rigorous protocols to ensure one person/one vote: by-mail, in-person Early, or in-person Election Day.
18/ TO DO #2 -- Voters:
Slow down and think before sharing election-related information online. You might be unintentionally spreading mis- or disinformation. To learn more about how to spot it, and for many more helpful resources, see @NewsLitProject.
newslit.org/election2022/
Slow down and think before sharing election-related information online. You might be unintentionally spreading mis- or disinformation. To learn more about how to spot it, and for many more helpful resources, see @NewsLitProject.
newslit.org/election2022/
19/ TO DO #3 -- Election officials:
As hard as it is w/scarce resources, getting ahead of falsehoods ASAP is effective! Enlist the media in forcefully telling the real story. Maricopa Co Recorder @stephen_richer is a model example for aggressively debunking baseless claims.
As hard as it is w/scarce resources, getting ahead of falsehoods ASAP is effective! Enlist the media in forcefully telling the real story. Maricopa Co Recorder @stephen_richer is a model example for aggressively debunking baseless claims.
20/ TO DO #4 -- Journalists:
The descriptions of election procedures & outcomes that deserve your time are those that come from trusted election officials. If outlandish claims are trending, speak to EOs early, to get the facts. Then pre-bunk the claims.
The descriptions of election procedures & outcomes that deserve your time are those that come from trusted election officials. If outlandish claims are trending, speak to EOs early, to get the facts. Then pre-bunk the claims.
21/ Finally: the tactics of manufactured chaos cannot be described as part of “normal” partisan politics, or typical political “gamesmanship.”
Call these tactics what they are: they are anti-democratic, baseless attacks on the legitimacy of US elections.
Call these tactics what they are: they are anti-democratic, baseless attacks on the legitimacy of US elections.
22/ P.S. With so much misinformation floating around, if you’re into elections & tech, here’s an @OSET talk that may interest you. It was the keynote at @VotingVillageDC last yr & it’s an easy-to-understand primer on election administration and technology.
22/ [coda] This sort of commentary and analysis is what I do. If my expertise at the intersection of technology and civic life (including election administration, technology, disinformation, and media) has value for your organization, please drop me a DM.
It’s good to be back.
It’s good to be back.
