Ahead of November's U.S. midterm election, Reuters interviewed dozens of election officials as well as representatives of groups driven by false theories about election fraud. An examination of poll-watching training materials revealed a grassroots effort to recruit activists, heightening fears that disturbances in this year's primary contests could foreshadow problems in November's local, state and national races.
Supporters of Donald Trump demonstrate during a rally on, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
As the United States enters the final stretch to November’s midterm elections, Reuters documented multiple incidents of intimidation involving an expanding army of election observers, many of them recruited by prominent Republican Party figures and activists echoing Trump's false theories about election fraud. The widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election as alleged by Trump and his supporters was never proven.
During early voting in Arizona's Pima County, an election observer was told to put away binoculars; another was caught looking at private voter data, and another was asked to stop making comments about “fraudulent elections,” according to a September report by the county recorder's office reviewed by Reuters. State law forbids voter intimidation and obstructing election workers.
Groups that question the legitimacy of the 2020 vote have helped recruit thousands of observers who support dramatic changes to how Americans vote, including doing away with voting machines and returning to hand-counted paper ballots. "We're not about trying to hassle poll workers," Kiesel told Reuters. "It's about transparency. If we can all see what's going on, maybe we wouldn't have these arguments whether elections are free and fair."In early October, an election-denying group called Audit the Vote PA held a Zoom meeting with almost 80 people that was billed as a "deep dive" poll watcher training session.
Election conspiracy groups also often appear at events with Republican officials, focused on recruiting volunteers to help watch the polls, according to the groups themselves and county officials. The Republican Party said it welcomes volunteers from many different groups, expects them to respect the law and to follow the party's training. "Our program is independent of anything else," said RNC spokesperson Danielle Alvarez.
"It was stressful," she said. "If we refused to let the observers do something, they said you know you can be sued if you don't allow us."
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