Now that the mid-term elections are more or less over, there are a lot of questions about where America’s democratic processes are heading? This is particularly true given the following issues that surfaced during the voting processes.
- Several states instituted new restrictions on how people could vote, some moving to in-person voting as a requirement. This particularly had a negative impact on seniors and persons with mobility disabilities. In some cases, it also affected marginalized groups. For example, Florida had new elections legislation affecting voting in the State, which voter advocates argued disproportionately affected Black voters — making it harder for many to vote — and created an environment of confusion and fear.
- Various voting station monitoring processes were introduced, some of which definitely intimidated certain voters. In a couple of instances, authorities had to remove armed monitors — reminiscent of Russian elections — from polling stations.
- Several states had candidates, all Republican, whose platforms included the open but false belief that the 2020 Presidential election was not legitimate. Some of these candidates were running for positions of Senator, Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State. If elected, all could have a serious impact on how future elections are run.
- Right-wing roadshows, such as the ReAwaken America Tour, promoted Christian nationalism before the mid-terms. According to Samuel Perry, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Oklahoma and the co-author of the book ‘The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy’, a growing number of Republicans are embracing the ideology of Christian nationalism. Such groups advocate the fusion of American civic life with a particular kind of white, conservative Christianity, a contrary notion to the separation of church and state.
- As Republican candidates across the country continue to amplify former President Donald Trump’s false claims of corrupted elections, officials were ready for disruptions after the polls closed. Already declared, activists and lawyers are prepared to challenge ballots and dispute counting procedures, and losing candidates who cast doubt on the integrity of the process may file lawsuits.
- Not long ago, the fight against disinformation focused on the major social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter. When pressed, they often removed troubling content, including misinformation and intentional disinformation about issues. Today, however, there are dozens of new platforms, including some that pride themselves on not moderating — censoring, as they put it — untrue statements in the name of free speech.
These are only a few of the anomalies that were witnessed during yesterday’s mid-term elections. The continuing polarization of American politics was clearly on display. There appears to be no real chance for compromise in Congress which will leave President Joe Biden with few legislative options during the remainder of his term in office. It can only be expected that the same election issues will surface in the next presidential election, if not more so.
Even the U.S. Supreme Court has increasingly demonstrated in recent decisions that political ideology plays an important role, especially when judges are appointed by Republican or Democratic administrations. Clearly, there now has surfaced a serious negative impact on the courts as neutral bodies governed by the laws of the land and the will of the peoples’ elected representatives. So much for checks and balances related to the three branches of governance!
Other democracies are closely watching what is happening in the America and some are very concerned about the situation. Studies have even shown that young people in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. are increasingly cynical about the ability of democracies to effectively govern, leading today’s youth away from representative government. Some young people appear ready to abandon democracy, expressing concerns for their futures and the belief that the current system has failed them. In the past, foreigners have looked to American democracy as a model to replicate in their countries. Sadly, this may no longer be the case.
FROLITICKS 
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