LaRose downplays threats of US post-election mass violence
Published:Sunday | November 1, 2020 | 12:16 AMJanet Silvera - Senior Gleaner Writer
Ohio, United States:
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has poured cold water on suggestions of mass violence should the outcome of the United States presidential and congressional elections be unfavourable for supporters of the two main political parties following Tuesday’s polls.
A peaceful transfer of power is a deep-seated tradition in the US. However, President Donald Trump has explicitly said he would not give in to a swift transition of power.
“I don’t think there is any credible threat of mass violence. I think maybe some people may make their emotions get the best of them and will loot or riot in a very limited way,” LaRose told The Sunday Gleaner in response to questions posed about the fear that has gripped some citizens across the United States.
The chief election officer of the battleground state, which could well determine the outcome of the elections, said he was confident that any type of upheaval in the country would be contained effectively by the security forces.
“People still believe in respecting the choice of the voter,” he told an intimate group of election observers from a number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean during a presentation organised by Democracy Win.
OHIO AT STAKE
Although a winner for Tuesday’s election is likely to be announced on the night of the polls, the victor is not likely to know his fate until November 18, LaRose explained. Of note is the fact that no Republican president has won the presidency without carrying Ohio and that is at stake for Donald Trump.
On the other hand, the Democrats know that if they can win Ohio, then it could well be lights out for the incumbent, who won Ohio by eight percentage points in 2016. Polls are showing that it will be a very tight race in Ohio.
Already, the lines are wrapping around the polling stations as Ohians cast their ballots in chilly weather.
“We are proud of the fact that it is truly easy to vote in Ohio. We are one of the easiest states to cast a ballot. Our voters have three good choices to how they vote, which makes it easy in a pandemic: four weeks of absentee voting, which allows persons to be able to vote from home by mail; a whole month of early voting; and voting on the day via thousands of polling stations,” said LaRose.
On election day, polls opens from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and there are 4,000 polling stations across the state. Some eight million people are registered to vote in the Buckeye state.
Admitting it has been an enormous challenge staging the election in a pandemic, LaRose said early preparation is what has helped his state.
“We began way back in April to ensure we could run a fair election, so no matter how the pandemic change people’s lives, we were going to ensure it didn’t change them having an opportunity at a fair and free election.”
LaRose and his team created a ‘Ready for November’ task force, which met weekly via Zoom and brought in experts from across the country to speak on various issues.
Among key areas of focus was recruiting poll workers, particularly owing to the fact the pandemic had scared away the older people who would normally man the polling stations.
61-POINT CHECKLIST
The Ready for November campaign group paid special attention to health protocols in place, creating a 61-point checklist, approved by the Centers for Disease Control.
“Each of our boards of election are required to follow the protocols,” stated LaRose, adding that they have secured a massive stock of personal protective equipment for the election, including masks, face shields, and sanitisers.
Ohio has been experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases and its numbers yesterday stood at 212,782 cases, with 5,291 reported deaths.
With false information by not only foreign bots, but also American political activists and politicians, the chief election officer said it has been a challenge, but they have implemented a robust public information campaign so that people are aware and know the truth in relation to voting.
“We have partnered with Ohio minority communities because too often the misinformation is pointed at them. So we built a network around the state that can help to debunk misinformation,” he noted.