Courtesy of the State of Michigan
Big Gretch doesn't think we should let a pandemic delay the November election.
President Donald Trump is now suggesting that the 2020 election should be delayed due to the coronavirus crisis — dealing a blow to sane people everywhere who are so fucking sick of his bullshit.
Trump made the comments on Thursday, plugging his latest favorite conspiracy theory — that mail-in voting will lead to massive voter fraud.
"With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history," Trump tweeted Thursday morning. "It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
As usual, Donnie has no idea what he's talking about. There's no substantial evidence that mail-in voting will lead to fraud, and the "distinction" between "mail-in voting" and "absentee voting" is nonexistent. (Trump says this because he has voted by absentee ballot.)
Plus, delaying an election would require Congress, which is partially controlled by Democrats, who probably won't let this fly. (It should also be noted that Trump said the 2016 election was rigged — which, lest we forget, he won.)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is among those calling Trump out.
"If we could hold an election in 1864 in the midst of a Civil War, we can and will hold one in 2020," Big Gretch said in a tweet, also calling for Trump to work with Congress on more federal coronavirus aid.
If we could hold an election in 1864 in the midst of a Civil War, we can and will hold one in 2020. It’s time for the president to get his priorities straight and work with Congress on a recovery package that protects our families, frontline workers, and small business owners.
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) July 30, 2020
Michigan approved no-reason absentee voting in 2018, which makes it easier for voters to request and receive absentee ballots. In May, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson decided to send all voters absentee voter applications by mail for the August primary and November elections, but some Trump zealots burned theirs when Trump said, incorrectly, that they were the ballots (and not merely applications for ballots).
Michigan's primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 4. Benson is urging voters to "immediately" mail in their ballots to ensure they are counted, since ballots won't be counted after Election Day. You can also take your ballot to a dropbox or your clerk’s office.
Presumed Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden has a strong lead on Trump in Michigan, a battleground state that Trump narrowly won in 2016. Trump's camp has even reportedly stopped running ads in Michigan.
Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.
