Attacks on the Los Angeles elections demonstrate what the president and his followers plan for the weeks ahead. Evidence of fraud is not included in the attacks. The complaint is that failure to announce results immediately after the polls close is the result of manipulation and dishonesty. Such claims ignore the fact that the history and practices of California elections include weeks of counting and validation before results are announced. Making the claims and then repeating them a little louder is intended to spread doubt and distrust among voters.
By deliberate design, elections are kept close to voters. Responsibility for the administration and conduct of elections is vested in 36 Oregon county clerks as a result of decisions made by the authors of the U.S. Constitution.
Those authors knew that free and fair elections would be essential to the preservation of the form of government they were inventing. Vesting responsibility for that function as close to voters as possible was essential.
Current national leadership is engaged in efforts to reduce or eliminate voter confidence in election systems and increase federal influence. Maintaining voter confidence has become a high priority, based on the increasing and expected attacks by and on behalf of that leadership.
Starting with citizens who have a history of participation in election protection as volunteer poll watchers, create an organization devoted to looking for attempts to demean and degrade the honesty and integrity of local elections. When clear attempts are identified, a written report providing details would be prepared and delivered to the Wasco County District Attorney (DA).
The DA would evaluate the report and decide what action, if any, should be taken. Attention to the protections of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution must be a part of that evaluation. The actions could range from requesting an investigation by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office to a letter to the organization or individual identified as responsible for the questioned election activity.
A consequence of this procedure, carefully exercised, should be the termination of the activity, as well as deterrence of such future activity. If the activity continues, prosecution would be aided by the availability of witnesses, those who initiated the process.
If this proposal is to succeed, it must have volunteers who are of different political views but united in their desire to protect and preserve our democracy. If it succeeded in Wasco County, it could be a model for others and help assure continued free and fair elections in Oregon.
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Keith Mobley, Dufur, is a retired lawyer who was a Republican candidate for the Oregon House of Representatives in 1980. He lost, and then served as the Antelope city attorney against the Rajneeshees until late 1982, when he was hired as assistant to the president of Oregon State University. He grew up on a wheat and cattle ranch near Shaniko.
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