usatoday--2020-11-03--Joe Biden or Donald Trump: Closing arguments from USA TODAY opinion contributors

Unity .
Equality .
Safety .
And above all character .
These are the themes former Vice President Joe Biden , Sen. Kamala Harris and Democrats across the country are emphasizing in their closing arguments to the American people for why we should vote for them on Election Day .
Joe ’ s message is a positive one , setting out detailed plans to control the coronavirus pandemic , rebuild the economy so that it works for everyone , and unify our divided country .
It is a stark contrast to the president ’ s dark message of xenophobia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and personal attacks on anyone outside his family and Republican yes-men ( yes , they ’ re almost all white men ) .
Joe speaks with deep compassion and empathy about Trump ’ s grave mismanagement of the pandemic — which has resulted in more than 231,000 “ empty chairs at dining room tables , where just weeks or months ago loved ones sat and talked and laughed , ” in Joe ’ s words — and the president ’ s failure to level with the American people about its seriousness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a good and honest man who has spent his entire life fighting for the American working class .
A vote for Joe is a vote for a president who will work for all of us , not just for those who voted for him .
A vote for Joe is a vote to unify our country — not to divide us into red or blue states — and to bring us together in common purpose as the United States of America .
Because as we ’ ve shown throughout our history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do when we do it together .
Donna Brazile is the endowed chair of the Gwendolyn and Colbert King public policy lecture series at Howard University and adjunct faculty member in the Women 's and Gender Studies at Georgetown University , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors , a Fox News contributor and the author of `` Hacks : The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that Put Donald Trump in the White House . ''
Follow her on Twitter : @ donnabrazile On March 23 , 1919 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Milan and declared that membership in his new group “ commits all fascists to sabotaging the candidacies of the neutralists of all parties by any means necessary.
” This was the prelude to what would become his fascist party .
In the final moments of the 2020 presidential election , Donald Trump endorsed the efforts of modern-day fascists as they terrorized a Biden campaign bus on a Texas highway .
This as Republicans in the Lone Star State tried to use the courts to invalidate 127,000 votes that have been cast from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing state of Pennsylvania have been on a steady decline , with 42 % of all first-class mail taking longer than five days to be delivered .
Trump and his allies are doing a full embrace of Mussolini ’ s brand of fascism .
Donald Trump and Joe Biden ’ s names are on the ballot , but in reality , it ’ s the fate of democracy in America that ’ s being voted on .
The choice is simple , we are either a country that maintains fidelity to freedom and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is the most important election of our lifetimes .
Choose wisely .
Kurt Bardella is a senior adviser for The Lincoln Project and a member of USA TODAY ’ s Board of Contributors .
He was the spokesperson and senior adviser for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Republicans from 2009-13 .
Follow him on Twitter : @ kurtbardella A vote for Biden is a vote for Washington as usual : Rachel Bovard A vote for Biden is a vote to return to “ normal , ” so I am told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to look like : a new war or several every couple of months , an FBI weaponized against the incumbent ’ s political opponents , trade policies that allowed China to stomp all over middle America , and an immigration system prioritizing cheap foreign labor over American talent .
The Trump administration hasn ’ t been perfect .
But it has spectacularly upended the Washington uniparty consensus that made Biden ’ s “ normal ” possible .
Because of Trump , The Interests no longer get carte blanche to buy the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no longer fleece seniors in Medicare Part B .
The Big Tech overlords are on notice .
We are no longer economic patsies to China and subject to Iranian lies about their “ peace deal compliance.
” Big corporations have been stripped of their power to rig the immigration system .
There have been a record three peace deals in the Middle East .
The criminal justice system saw major equitable reform .
Trump is the first president who hasn ’ t taken us into war since the Carter administration .
After this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to normal .
But if the choice is between Biden ’ s normal — a return to the Washington uniparty with a side serving of woke political inquisition — and four more years of upending The Interests , I ’ ll take Trump .
Rachel Bovard is the senior director of policy at the Conservative Partnership Institute .
She is co-author of `` Conservative : Knowing What to Keep , '' with former Sen. Jim DeMint and a member of USA TODAY 's board of contributors .
Follow her on Twitter : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect our energy industry and get the economy moving again .
Democrat Joe Biden stated in the Oct. 22 presidential debate that he would push the economy away from oil as an energy source .
His campaign tried to backtrack on his pledge , and Biden ’ s energy stance flip-flops depending on the audience , but both Biden and his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , promised to ban natural-gas fracking during the Democratic primaries .
Energy is too vital to a healthy economy for there to be such confusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2019 , 80 % of U.S. energy production came from fossil fuels , which include oil , natural gas and coal .
Our modes of transportation are fueled 91 % by petroleum .
The stock market dipped last week partly in reaction to reports of a new COVID-19 surge , but Wall Street ’ s downward movement also followed Biden ’ s worrisome comments about interfering with our nation ’ s energy supply .
The world ’ s largest economy can ’ t risk underpowering its engines of growth when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession .
Few things bring Americans together more than good financial times .
Before the coronavirus struck , the booming economy — triggered by Republican tax and regulatory cuts — delivered the lowest unemployment in generations , including the lowest ever jobless rate for African Americans and Hispanics .
The same policies will reenergize the economy in a second Trump term .
Brett M. Decker , a member of USA TODAY ’ s Board of Contributors , is a former editor for The Wall Street Journal and co-author of “ The Conservative Case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : @ BrettMDecker Joe Biden ’ s most relevant feature is that he isn ’ t Donald Trump .
That he believes in decency and science is a bonus .
That he would aggressively fight COVID-19 is a godsend .
Philosopher Noam Chomsky calls Trump the “ worst criminal in human history.
” That sounds hyperbolic , but Chomsky ’ s reasoning is compelling .
Has anyone else “ dedicated his efforts to undermining the prospects for survival of organized human life on earth ?
” asks Chomsky .
A study in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 deaths in the United States to those in other countries .
America would have had 117,622 fewer deaths had it replicated Canada ’ s experience and 187,661 fewer had it mirrored Australia ’ s .
But Trump has congratulated himself on doing “ a very good job ” with COVID-19 and couldn ’ t imagine doing anything more .
Last week , his son and namesake dismissed America ’ s COVID-19 deaths as “ almost nothing.
” Few Americans see over 231,000 deaths as almost nothing .
Biden is fed up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people dying of COVID-19 but toward refugee children and American troops ) , which is the essence of his powerful closing argument .
God help us if it isn ’ t enough .
Ellis Cose , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors , is author of “ The Short Life and Curious Death of Free Speech in America , ” and “ Democracy , If We Can Keep It : The ACLU ’ s 100 Year Fight for Rights in America , ” both published this year .
Follow him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our future is at stake : Sally Kohn It ’ s fitting that this election falls right after Halloween , because Trump ’ s presidency has been scary for so many of us .
Scary for the over 9 million Americans who have contracted COVID-19 and the over 231,000 Americans who have died .
Scary for the 12 million Americans who are unemployed in an out-of-control economic crisis because the president failed to control the virus .
Scary for the thousands of migrant families separated at the border and the 545 children still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Black and brown Americans who have watched as white supremacists have become emboldened in our nation , coddled by the president .
Joe Biden is not the hero in this story — we are .
We , the people , who can stand up for equality and justice and basic decency by voting for a better path forward , for all of us .
Trump is the most unpopular president in modern history .
It is also up to us to make sure every single vote is counted .
Because the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our future is at stake .
And all of our voices — and all of our votes — matter in deciding that future .
Sally Kohn , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors , is the author of `` The Opposite Of Hate : A Field Guide To Repairing Our Humanity . ''
You can find her online at sallykohn.com and on Twitter : @ SallyKohn The COVID-19 pandemic has become the single most important public health issue in the world .
While morbidity and mortality was inevitable , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives could have been saved with the right messaging , policies and leadership .
However , this administration has ignored the majority of health experts on mandating masks , encouraging social distancing and , indeed , even acknowledging the seriousness of this contagious and often fatal virus .
Joe Biden was right : This in itself should be disqualifying to lead our great nation .
Biden does not scoff at science but says he will use data and listen to medical experts .
Meanwhile , our current president seems to support a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which has been widely debunked and will not work without causing the death toll from COVID-19 to swell even higher .
Aside from the myriad other issues with this administration — division of our citizens , immigration and human rights abuses , economic and health policies that do not protect the vulnerable — the pandemic response from Trump makes clear who would lead our nation to a healthier future : Joe Biden and Kamala Harris .
Dr. Thomas Ken Lew , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Medicine in California .
All opinions are his own .
Follow him on Twitter : @ ThomasLewMD At his boisterous rallies , President Trump ’ s admirers love to chant , “ Four More Years !
” But why should sincere patriots demand more of this ?
America has been staggering through a dark passage of polarization , pandemic and paralysis .
President Trump didn ’ t create these problems , but he has made them far worse than they need to be .
Anger and anxiety spawn demented conspiracy theories along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions .
Gallup reports only 28 % who say they “ feel satisfied with the way things are going , ” but Team Trump offers more of the same .
On the other hand , Biden ’ s tightly focused campaign promises to handle COVID-19 more consistently and to unify our fractured populace .
I ’ m not sure he ’ ll succeed , but I ’ m certain Trump won ’ t even try .
Trump 's party — a party I ’ ve loyally supported for 40 years — failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-term agenda beyond unquestioning allegiance to a presidential personality cult .
A leader who can ’ t coordinate his own Cabinet or White House staff , with former aides regularly denouncing his impetuous incompetence , can ’ t unite the country .
My vote for Biden offers at least some hope for restoration of “ one nation , under God , indivisible , with liberty and justice for all.
” Michael Medved , a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors , hosts a daily radio talk show and is author , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hand On America : Divine Providence in the Modern Era . ''
Follow him on Twitter : @ MedvedSHOW Trump made us better off : James S. Robbins By all traditional policy metrics , Donald Trump ’ s reelection should be certain .
Defying “ expert ” predictions , Trump ’ s first term brought increased economic growth , record numbers of jobs especially for women and minorities , higher average incomes and a booming stock market that surged value into 401ks and pension funds .
Trump has also vowed to lower health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug costs .
Four more years of tax cuts , deregulation and fair-trade policies , particularly concerning China , will keep this economic engine running .
Trump ’ s pragmatic foreign and defense policies increased U.S. military strength and credibility .
He smashed the Islamic State terrorist caliphate , pushed back against expanding Iranian influence and began winding down America ’ s endless foreign wars .
His steadfast support for Israel , including moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem , led directly to historic peace deals in the Middle East .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States energy independent , creating jobs , lowering fuel costs , yet decreasing carbon emissions to the lowest level since 1993 .
The alternative is bleak .
Joe Biden is a cipher , a placeholder candidate for angry Democrats using the politicized pandemic to push endless lockdowns , and touting radical progressive policies that would kill economic growth and damage constitutional government .
Gallup ’ s quadrennial preelection poll shows 56 % say they are better off now than they were four years ago , the highest percentage since the question has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question guaranteed President Ronald Reagan ’ s reelection , and it should do the same for Trump .
James S. Robbins , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors and author of `` This Time We Win : Revisiting the Tet Offensive , '' has taught at the National Defense University and the Marine Corps University and served as a special assistant in the office of the secretary of Defense in the George W. Bush administration .
Follow him on Twitter : @ James_Robbins Trump has been a nightmare for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has been a nightmare for the Latino community .
His divisive rhetoric , which began on the first day of his 2016 campaign , inspired the massacre in El Paso , Texas .
He abandoned Puerto Rico when the island was hit by Hurricane Maria in 2017 , and the tragic consequences of his family separations policy continue to this day .
Trump ’ s mishandling of the coronavirus has resulted in Latinos and people of color being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic .
And he has appointed Supreme Court justices who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos ’ civil and constitutional rights .
In contrast , Joe Biden wants to make the American dream accessible to all .
He has pledged to strengthen the Affordable Care Act , which has helped millions of Latinos gain health care coverage .
He recognizes the existence of systemic racism in our society .
He intends to make immigration reform a priority , and to assemble a task force to reunite separated migrant children with their families .
Not only has Biden selected a running mate who is broadly popular with Latinos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , decency and a seriousness of purpose that Trump lacks .
Biden can help heal our divided country — and deserves to be president .
Raul A. Reyes is an attorney and a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors .
Follow him on Twitter @ RaulAReyes Be respectful no matter who wins : Kristin Clark Taylor Our nation has unraveled down to a single , sorry thread ; very little fabric remains .
We ’ re wrung out .
Warn-torn .
Battle-weary .
Call me wishy-washy .
Criticize me for not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , which was to offer my best closing argument for the candidate who belongs in the White House .
I have a reason .
Here ’ s the thing : We all belong to each other .
Apologies for being blunt , but blunt I must be .
Vote for whomever the hell you want to vote for .
Just vote .
Then let ’ s come together and elevate ourselves above all of this dumb darkness .
I ’ ve always been afraid of the dark , but never as afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re stumbling around like fools , not even realizing that each of us holds a match .
Ignite your match — but casting your vote is only the first part of the process .
No matter who wins the White House , keep that match burning brightly .
Hold it up high .
Don ’ t retreat to your individual , partisan corners .
We don ’ t have time for all that .
We must act like the responsible , compassionate , respectful adults our mamas raised us to be … no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My closing argument , since I was asked to share one , is this : Exercise your right , your privilege , your duty to vote .
Light your match .
But keep it lit long after you ’ ve left the voting booth .
This flame must take us into these next , new days , because this is where our children and our grandchildren and our future children all live .
This is the elevated perspective we must live by .
If we don ’ t let love win , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kristin Clark Taylor , a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors , is an author and a journalist .
Reach her at WriterKristinTaylor @ gmail.com .
“ I can ’ t breathe ” is 2020 ’ s rallying cry .
Joe Biden represents our best chance to address the conditions choking us , from COVID-19 to police violence .
In my closing argument , I focus on our environment and collective health .
“ California is America fast-forward , ” writes sociologist Manuel Pastor .
I offer this dispatch from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t address the climate emergency .
This isn ’ t a cautionary tale about left-leaning states but a preview of crises exploding across the country , such as climate change and environmental rollbacks , which have converged in the West to burn millions of acres , destroy countless homes and lives , and create the worst air quality in the world .
The 1930s Dust Bowl displaced millions .
Thousands fled to California from states such as Oklahoma .
With record-setting wildfires , storms and floods sweeping the country , today ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe places to flee .
Trump has systematically dismantled environmental protections , sacrificing the health of our environment to business interests .
The young must inherit this decaying world , and the old face the greatest vulnerability to environmental disaster .
All generations suffer .
I love reading sci-fi but not living it .
If you vote like your life depends on it , the only reasonable choice is Joe Biden .
Stacy Torres is an assistant professor of sociology in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at University of California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TODAY 's Board of Contributors Regrettably , my presidential pick is “ None of the Above.
” President Trump divided Americans , insulted Mexicans , turned away refugees , alienated allies , coarsened our culture , crippled farmers through a trade war , made people comfortable with prejudice and failed COVID-19 .
Even after four years as president , he still doesn ’ t understand that the occupant serves the office , the office doesn ’ t serve the person .
He vowed to make America great again , but he left America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 2015 , Trump told CNN : “ I will be a great unifier.
” Instead , his presidency was a big mistake .
Former Vice President Joe Biden has nearly a half-century in politics .
Biden 2020 — who supports Black Lives Matter and worries about how African Americans fare in the criminal justice system — wouldn ’ t much like Biden 1994 who , as a senator , co-sponsored a notorious crime bill that sought to protect white people from Black people through mass incarceration .
As vice president , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 million people , separated families , put kids in cages — and then , when confronted by Latinos over that record , told them to “ go vote for Trump.
” A Latina friend who hates Trump told me that voting for Biden made her feel “ dirty.
” We need better candidates .
Let ’ s make America clean again .
Ruben Navarrette Jr. , a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors , is a syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group and founder & CEO of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter : @ RubenNavarrette Vote for the better man : Tom Nichols I would prefer a few of Trump ’ s policies ( such as cutting government regulations and increasing defense spending ) over any Democratic administration .
But I did not vote in this election based on policy .
Neither should you .
The election of 2020 is about the moral future of the American nation , and so I voted for a good man with whom I have some political disagreements over an evil man with whom I share not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s vanity and stupidity have cost thousands of lives and harmed the nation .
He has left us less healthy , less wealthy and less safe in every way .
But Trump 's assaults on the Constitution and the rule of law , including everything from his vicious attacks on the integrity of our elections to his calls to lock up his political opponents , have left us less American in every way , and that damage will take longer to fix .
Four more years of Trump will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scar on our national soul .
Tom Nichols is the author of `` The Death of Expertise , '' a senior adviser to The Lincoln Project and a member of USA TODAY 's Board of Contributors .
Follow him on Twitter : @ RadioFreeTom A vote for Trump is a vote for freedom : Dr. Ben Carson Before the pandemic hit , African American unemployment was at an all-time low , jobs were plentiful and the economy was booming .
This doesn ’ t just happen out of thin air or due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens through brave leadership .
It happens because we have a leader with courage who stands up to give a voice to those who have been forgotten for far too long .
It happens because we have a strong leader who takes decisive action when others before him only made empty promises .
Trump is that courageous leader who keeps his promises — economic prosperity , religious freedom and common sense in the courts .
This president focused on historically black colleges and universities , achieved prison reform and prioritized investment in vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politician — we certainly know exactly what he ’ s thinking , which makes him highly effective for the American people , and a threat to the Washington swamp .
Americans deserve freedom — meaning reduced government regulation , a less biased media and more opportunity for prosperity .
A vote for Trump is a vote for freedom .
Dr. Ben Carson , a renowned pediatric neurosurgeon , is secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development .
He wrote this column in his personal capacity .
I have lost track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election that other state chairs and Republican National Committee members came to me , the party chair in the first primary state , for reassurance that Trump couldn ’ t really win the nomination .
“ You guys will stop him in New Hampshire , right ?
” they would say to me at meetings .
“ What is happening to our party that voters are actually choosing this guy ?
” they would lament .
But they never recognized their own responsibility for the decline of our party , simply unwilling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power above principle , and their loyalty to party over country , was fueling Trump ’ s takeover of the GOP .
History will not judge kindly those who cower in silence .
When America 's children study the Trump era , they will ask us where we stood , and what we did , to help right what was wrong in our time .
I do not argue that Joe Biden will be a conservative president , but I do suggest that he will return decency to the Oval Office , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ egregious wrongs of this administration , and that he will put the safety and well-being of the American people above himself .
Jennifer Horn , former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party , is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project .
Follow her on Twitter : @ NHJennifer As a proud , lifelong Republican I have done my share of campaigning for our party ’ s candidates .
My decision to endorse Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was not taken lightly , and I owe it to my fellow Republicans to explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best choice on this year ’ s ballot to lead the nation as president of the United States .
My husband believed in straight talk and country first .
So do I. Joe Biden is the right choice to be president at this pivotal time in the country ’ s history .
He is a patriot who believes passionately in America and the principles and values that make it great .
He will be a leader whom all Americans can count on to put country above party , patriotism above partisanship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most important , Joe will unite a deeply divided country and bring together all Americans to address and overcome the great challenges we face .
I can vouch for these qualifications because I have known him for four decades .
He will have the vote of this proud Republican on Tuesday .
Cindy McCain , whose late husband , Sen. John McCain , was the 2008 Republican nominee for president , is chair of the board of trustees of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University .
Follow her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak out on politics : Edwina Sandys My grandfather did not mince words about the Nazi threat — or say something like , “ Hitler will be gone — disappear — like a miracle !
” He trusted people with the truth , even when difficult .
No !
Winston Churchill did not promise the British people a rose garden .
What he actually said when he became prime minister in World War II was , `` I have nothing to offer but blood , toil , tears and sweat.
” Strong leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge of science .
My grandfather was born before automobiles , radio and penicillin .
He was fascinated by science .
During the war , he kept his friend and adviser , professor Frederick Lindemann ( `` The Prof '' ) close by him to keep up with the latest scientific inventions .
Where would Trump be without science ?
No INTERNET !
No TWEETS !
No topnotch medical treatment !
It is shocking that a man who pooh-poohs science has his finger on the nuclear button !
I rarely wade into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this moment , I am joining Republicans and Independents for Biden , an affiliate of the Lincoln Project .
Edwina Sandys , a sculptor , painter and U.S. citizen , is Winston Churchill ’ s granddaughter .

Joe Biden or Donald Trump: Closing arguments from USA TODAY opinion contributors On Election Day 2020, USA TODAY Opinion contributors make closing arguments for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.
A vote for a good and honest man: Donna Brazile
Unity. Equality. Safety. And above all character.
These are the themes former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris and Democrats across the country are emphasizing in their closing arguments to the American people for why we should vote for them on Election Day.
Joe’s message is a positive one, setting out detailed plans to control the coronavirus pandemic, rebuild the economy so that it works for everyone, and unify our divided country. It is a stark contrast to the president’s dark message of xenophobia, racism, rejection of science and doctors, and personal attacks on anyone outside his family and Republican yes-men (yes, they’re almost all white men). Joe speaks with deep compassion and empathy about Trump’s grave mismanagement of the pandemic — which has resulted in more than 231,000 “empty chairs at dining room tables, where just weeks or months ago loved ones sat and talked and laughed,” in Joe’s words — and the president’s failure to level with the American people about its seriousness.
A vote for Joe is a vote for a good and honest man who has spent his entire life fighting for the American working class. A vote for Joe is a vote for a president who will work for all of us, not just for those who voted for him. A vote for Joe is a vote to unify our country — not to divide us into red or blue states — and to bring us together in common purpose as the United States of America. Because as we’ve shown throughout our history, there’s nothing we can’t do when we do it together.
Donna Brazile is the endowed chair of the Gwendolyn and Colbert King public policy lecture series at Howard University and adjunct faculty member in the Women's and Gender Studies at Georgetown University, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, a Fox News contributor and the author of "Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns that Put Donald Trump in the White House." Follow her on Twitter: @donnabrazile
Fascism is real in America: Kurt Bardella
On March 23, 1919, Benito Mussolini addressed a rally in Milan and declared that membership in his new group “commits all fascists to sabotaging the candidacies of the neutralists of all parties by any means necessary.” This was the prelude to what would become his fascist party.
In the final moments of the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump endorsed the efforts of modern-day fascists as they terrorized a Biden campaign bus on a Texas highway. This as Republicans in the Lone Star State tried to use the courts to invalidate 127,000 votes that have been cast from a Democratic-leaning county.
Mail delivery in the swing state of Pennsylvania have been on a steady decline, with 42% of all first-class mail taking longer than five days to be delivered.
Trump and his allies are doing a full embrace of Mussolini’s brand of fascism. Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s names are on the ballot, but in reality, it’s the fate of democracy in America that’s being voted on. The choice is simple, we are either a country that maintains fidelity to freedom and liberty, or we are not. This is the most important election of our lifetimes. Choose wisely.
Kurt Bardella is a senior adviser for The Lincoln Project and a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors. He was the spokesperson and senior adviser for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Republicans from 2009-13. Follow him on Twitter: @kurtbardella
A vote for Biden is a vote for Washington as usual: Rachel Bovard
A vote for Biden is a vote to return to “normal,” so I am told. But consider what “normal” used to look like: a new war or several every couple of months, an FBI weaponized against the incumbent’s political opponents, trade policies that allowed China to stomp all over middle America, and an immigration system prioritizing cheap foreign labor over American talent.
The Trump administration hasn’t been perfect. But it has spectacularly upended the Washington uniparty consensus that made Biden’s “normal” possible. Because of Trump, The Interests no longer get carte blanche to buy the rules that govern us. Big Pharma can no longer fleece seniors in Medicare Part B. The Big Tech overlords are on notice. We are no longer economic patsies to China and subject to Iranian lies about their “peace deal compliance.” Big corporations have been stripped of their power to rig the immigration system. There have been a record three peace deals in the Middle East. The criminal justice system saw major equitable reform. Trump is the first president who hasn’t taken us into war since the Carter administration.
After this year, we all want a return to normal. But if the choice is between Biden’s normal — a return to the Washington uniparty with a side serving of woke political inquisition — and four more years of upending The Interests, I’ll take Trump.
Rachel Bovard is the senior director of policy at the Conservative Partnership Institute. She is co-author of "Conservative: Knowing What to Keep," with former Sen. Jim DeMint and a member of USA TODAY's board of contributors. Follow her on Twitter: @RachelBovard
Donald Trump will rebuild economy: Brett M. Decker
Americans need to reelect Donald Trump to protect our energy industry and get the economy moving again.
Democrat Joe Biden stated in the Oct. 22 presidential debate that he would push the economy away from oil as an energy source. His campaign tried to backtrack on his pledge, and Biden’s energy stance flip-flops depending on the audience, but both Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, promised to ban natural-gas fracking during the Democratic primaries.
Energy is too vital to a healthy economy for there to be such confusion about a presidential candidate’s position. In 2019, 80% of U.S. energy production came from fossil fuels, which include oil, natural gas and coal. Our modes of transportation are fueled 91% by petroleum.
The stock market dipped last week partly in reaction to reports of a new COVID-19 surge, but Wall Street’s downward movement also followed Biden’s worrisome comments about interfering with our nation’s energy supply. The world’s largest economy can’t risk underpowering its engines of growth when it is trying to rebuild from a pandemic-caused recession.
Few things bring Americans together more than good financial times. Before the coronavirus struck, the booming economy — triggered by Republican tax and regulatory cuts — delivered the lowest unemployment in generations, including the lowest ever jobless rate for African Americans and Hispanics. The same policies will reenergize the economy in a second Trump term.
Brett M. Decker, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, is a former editor for The Wall Street Journal and co-author of “The Conservative Case for Trump.” Follow him on Twitter: @BrettMDecker
Biden believes in science, decency: Ellis Cose
Joe Biden’s most relevant feature is that he isn’t Donald Trump. That he believes in decency and science is a bonus. That he would aggressively fight COVID-19 is a godsend.
Philosopher Noam Chomsky calls Trump the “worst criminal in human history.” That sounds hyperbolic, but Chomsky’s reasoning is compelling. Has anyone else “dedicated his efforts to undermining the prospects for survival of organized human life on earth?” asks Chomsky.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared COVID-19 deaths in the United States to those in other countries. America would have had 117,622 fewer deaths had it replicated Canada’s experience and 187,661 fewer had it mirrored Australia’s. But Trump has congratulated himself on doing “a very good job” with COVID-19 and couldn’t imagine doing anything more. Last week, his son and namesake dismissed America’s COVID-19 deaths as “almost nothing.”
Few Americans see over 231,000 deaths as almost nothing. Biden is fed up with that callous attitude (not just toward people dying of COVID-19 but toward refugee children and American troops), which is the essence of his powerful closing argument. God help us if it isn’t enough.
Ellis Cose, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, is author of “The Short Life and Curious Death of Free Speech in America,” and “Democracy, If We Can Keep It: The ACLU’s 100 Year Fight for Rights in America,” both published this year. Follow him on Twitter: @EllisCose
Biden because our future is at stake: Sally Kohn
It’s fitting that this election falls right after Halloween, because Trump’s presidency has been scary for so many of us. Scary for the over 9 million Americans who have contracted COVID-19 and the over 231,000 Americans who have died. Scary for the 12 million Americans who are unemployed in an out-of-control economic crisis because the president failed to control the virus. Scary for the thousands of migrant families separated at the border and the 545 children still not reunited with their families. Scary for Black and brown Americans who have watched as white supremacists have become emboldened in our nation, coddled by the president.
Joe Biden is not the hero in this story — we are. We, the people, who can stand up for equality and justice and basic decency by voting for a better path forward, for all of us. Trump is the most unpopular president in modern history. It is also up to us to make sure every single vote is counted. Because the presidency isn’t just at stake — our future is at stake. And all of our voices — and all of our votes — matter in deciding that future.
Sally Kohn, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, is the author of "The Opposite Of Hate: A Field Guide To Repairing Our Humanity." You can find her online at sallykohn.com and on Twitter: @SallyKohn
Biden will listen to scientists: Dr. Thomas Ken Lew
The COVID-19 pandemic has become the single most important public health issue in the world. While morbidity and mortality was inevitable, it is possible that hundreds of thousands of lives could have been saved with the right messaging, policies and leadership. However, this administration has ignored the majority of health experts on mandating masks, encouraging social distancing and, indeed, even acknowledging the seriousness of this contagious and often fatal virus. Joe Biden was right: This in itself should be disqualifying to lead our great nation.
Biden does not scoff at science but says he will use data and listen to medical experts. Meanwhile, our current president seems to support a plan akin to natural “herd immunity,” which has been widely debunked and will not work without causing the death toll from COVID-19 to swell even higher.
Aside from the myriad other issues with this administration — division of our citizens, immigration and human rights abuses, economic and health policies that do not protect the vulnerable — the pandemic response from Trump makes clear who would lead our nation to a healthier future: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Dr. Thomas Ken Lew, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, is a hospital physician and assistant clinical professor of Medicine in California. All opinions are his own. Follow him on Twitter: @ThomasLewMD
Trump made our problems worse: Michael Medved
At his boisterous rallies, President Trump’s admirers love to chant, “Four More Years!” But why should sincere patriots demand more of this? America has been staggering through a dark passage of polarization, pandemic and paralysis. President Trump didn’t create these problems, but he has made them far worse than they need to be.
Anger and anxiety spawn demented conspiracy theories along with a collapse of confidence in American institutions. Gallup reports only 28% who say they “feel satisfied with the way things are going,” but Team Trump offers more of the same.
On the other hand, Biden’s tightly focused campaign promises to handle COVID-19 more consistently and to unify our fractured populace. I’m not sure he’ll succeed, but I’m certain Trump won’t even try.
Trump's party — a party I’ve loyally supported for 40 years — failed to offer a 2020 platform, with no second-term agenda beyond unquestioning allegiance to a presidential personality cult. A leader who can’t coordinate his own Cabinet or White House staff, with former aides regularly denouncing his impetuous incompetence, can’t unite the country. My vote for Biden offers at least some hope for restoration of “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Michael Medved, a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors, hosts a daily radio talk show and is author, most recently, of "God's Hand On America: Divine Providence in the Modern Era." Follow him on Twitter: @MedvedSHOW
Trump made us better off: James S. Robbins
By all traditional policy metrics, Donald Trump’s reelection should be certain. Defying “expert” predictions, Trump’s first term brought increased economic growth, record numbers of jobs especially for women and minorities, higher average incomes and a booming stock market that surged value into 401ks and pension funds. Trump has also vowed to lower health care costs, Medicare premiums and prescription drug costs. Four more years of tax cuts, deregulation and fair-trade policies, particularly concerning China, will keep this economic engine running.
Trump’s pragmatic foreign and defense policies increased U.S. military strength and credibility. He smashed the Islamic State terrorist caliphate, pushed back against expanding Iranian influence and began winding down America’s endless foreign wars. His steadfast support for Israel, including moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, led directly to historic peace deals in the Middle East. Trump’s smart energy policies have made the United States energy independent, creating jobs, lowering fuel costs, yet decreasing carbon emissions to the lowest level since 1993.
The alternative is bleak. Joe Biden is a cipher, a placeholder candidate for angry Democrats using the politicized pandemic to push endless lockdowns, and touting radical progressive policies that would kill economic growth and damage constitutional government. Gallup’s quadrennial preelection poll shows 56% say they are better off now than they were four years ago, the highest percentage since the question has been asked. The answer to that question guaranteed President Ronald Reagan’s reelection, and it should do the same for Trump.
James S. Robbins, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and author of "This Time We Win: Revisiting the Tet Offensive," has taught at the National Defense University and the Marine Corps University and served as a special assistant in the office of the secretary of Defense in the George W. Bush administration. Follow him on Twitter: @James_Robbins
Trump has been a nightmare for the Latino community: Raul A. Reyes
Donald Trump has been a nightmare for the Latino community. His divisive rhetoric, which began on the first day of his 2016 campaign, inspired the massacre in El Paso, Texas. He abandoned Puerto Rico when the island was hit by Hurricane Maria in 2017, and the tragic consequences of his family separations policy continue to this day. Trump’s mishandling of the coronavirus has resulted in Latinos and people of color being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. And he has appointed Supreme Court justices who cannot be counted on to protect Latinos’ civil and constitutional rights.
In contrast, Joe Biden wants to make the American dream accessible to all. He has pledged to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, which has helped millions of Latinos gain health care coverage. He recognizes the existence of systemic racism in our society. He intends to make immigration reform a priority, and to assemble a task force to reunite separated migrant children with their families. Not only has Biden selected a running mate who is broadly popular with Latinos, he has conducted his campaign with dignity, decency and a seriousness of purpose that Trump lacks. Biden can help heal our divided country — and deserves to be president.
Raul A. Reyes is an attorney and a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter @RaulAReyes
Be respectful no matter who wins: Kristin Clark Taylor
Our nation has unraveled down to a single, sorry thread; very little fabric remains. We’re wrung out. Warn-torn. Battle-weary. Call me wishy-washy. Criticize me for not doing exactly what I was asked to do, which was to offer my best closing argument for the candidate who belongs in the White House. I have a reason.
Here’s the thing: We all belong to each other. Apologies for being blunt, but blunt I must be. Vote for whomever the hell you want to vote for. Just vote. Then let’s come together and elevate ourselves above all of this dumb darkness. I’ve always been afraid of the dark, but never as afraid as I am today. We’re stumbling around like fools, not even realizing that each of us holds a match. Ignite your match — but casting your vote is only the first part of the process.
No matter who wins the White House, keep that match burning brightly. Hold it up high. Don’t retreat to your individual, partisan corners. We don’t have time for all that. We must act like the responsible, compassionate, respectful adults our mamas raised us to be … no matter who wins the White House.
My closing argument, since I was asked to share one, is this: Exercise your right, your privilege, your duty to vote. Light your match. But keep it lit long after you’ve left the voting booth. This flame must take us into these next, new days, because this is where our children and our grandchildren and our future children all live. This is the elevated perspective we must live by. If we don’t let love win, we’ve all lost. Act right.
Kristin Clark Taylor, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors, is an author and a journalist. Reach her at WriterKristinTaylor@gmail.com.
The Case for Joe Biden: Stacy Torres
“I can’t breathe” is 2020’s rallying cry. Joe Biden represents our best chance to address the conditions choking us, from COVID-19 to police violence.
In my closing argument, I focus on our environment and collective health.
“California is America fast-forward,” writes sociologist Manuel Pastor. I offer this dispatch from your dystopian future, if we don’t address the climate emergency. This isn’t a cautionary tale about left-leaning states but a preview of crises exploding across the country, such as climate change and environmental rollbacks, which have converged in the West to burn millions of acres, destroy countless homes and lives, and create the worst air quality in the world.
The 1930s Dust Bowl displaced millions. Thousands fled to California from states such as Oklahoma. With record-setting wildfires, storms and floods sweeping the country, today’s climate refugees are running out of safe places to flee.
Trump has systematically dismantled environmental protections, sacrificing the health of our environment to business interests. The young must inherit this decaying world, and the old face the greatest vulnerability to environmental disaster. All generations suffer.
I love reading sci-fi but not living it. If you vote like your life depends on it, the only reasonable choice is Joe Biden.
Stacy Torres is an assistant professor of sociology in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at University of California, San Francisco and a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors
Two bad candidates: Ruben Navarrette
Regrettably, my presidential pick is “None of the Above.”
President Trump divided Americans, insulted Mexicans, turned away refugees, alienated allies, coarsened our culture, crippled farmers through a trade war, made people comfortable with prejudice and failed COVID-19. Even after four years as president, he still doesn’t understand that the occupant serves the office, the office doesn’t serve the person. He vowed to make America great again, but he left America worse than he found her. In October 2015, Trump told CNN: “I will be a great unifier.” Instead, his presidency was a big mistake.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has nearly a half-century in politics. Biden 2020 — who supports Black Lives Matter and worries about how African Americans fare in the criminal justice system — wouldn’t much like Biden 1994 who, as a senator, co-sponsored a notorious crime bill that sought to protect white people from Black people through mass incarceration. As vice president, he stood by as President Barack Obama deported 3 million people, separated families, put kids in cages — and then, when confronted by Latinos over that record, told them to “go vote for Trump.”
A Latina friend who hates Trump told me that voting for Biden made her feel “dirty.” We need better candidates. Let’s make America clean again.
Ruben Navarrette Jr., a member of the USA TODAY Board of Contributors, is a syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group and founder & CEO of the Navarrette Sonic Podcast Network. Follow him on Twitter: @RubenNavarrette
Vote for the better man: Tom Nichols
I would prefer a few of Trump’s policies (such as cutting government regulations and increasing defense spending) over any Democratic administration. But I did not vote in this election based on policy. Neither should you. The election of 2020 is about the moral future of the American nation, and so I voted for a good man with whom I have some political disagreements over an evil man with whom I share not a single value as a human being.
Trump’s vanity and stupidity have cost thousands of lives and harmed the nation. He has left us less healthy, less wealthy and less safe in every way. But Trump's assaults on the Constitution and the rule of law, including everything from his vicious attacks on the integrity of our elections to his calls to lock up his political opponents, have left us less American in every way, and that damage will take longer to fix. Four more years of Trump will take those wounds and make them a permanent scar on our national soul.
Tom Nichols is the author of "The Death of Expertise," a senior adviser to The Lincoln Project and a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors. Follow him on Twitter: @RadioFreeTom
A vote for Trump is a vote for freedom: Dr. Ben Carson
Before the pandemic hit, African American unemployment was at an all-time low, jobs were plentiful and the economy was booming. This doesn’t just happen out of thin air or due to empty speeches by former politicians. It happens through brave leadership. It happens because we have a leader with courage who stands up to give a voice to those who have been forgotten for far too long. It happens because we have a strong leader who takes decisive action when others before him only made empty promises.
Trump is that courageous leader who keeps his promises — economic prosperity, religious freedom and common sense in the courts.
This president focused on historically black colleges and universities, achieved prison reform and prioritized investment in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Trump isn’t a politician — we certainly know exactly what he’s thinking, which makes him highly effective for the American people, and a threat to the Washington swamp.
Americans deserve freedom — meaning reduced government regulation, a less biased media and more opportunity for prosperity. A vote for Trump is a vote for freedom.
Dr. Ben Carson, a renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, is secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He wrote this column in his personal capacity.
Trump doesn't deserve your loyalty: Jennifer Horn
I have lost track of how many times during the last election that other state chairs and Republican National Committee members came to me, the party chair in the first primary state, for reassurance that Trump couldn’t really win the nomination. “You guys will stop him in New Hampshire, right?” they would say to me at meetings. “What is happening to our party that voters are actually choosing this guy?” they would lament.
But they never recognized their own responsibility for the decline of our party, simply unwilling to consider the possibility that their pursuit of power above principle, and their loyalty to party over country, was fueling Trump’s takeover of the GOP.
History will not judge kindly those who cower in silence. When America's children study the Trump era, they will ask us where we stood, and what we did, to help right what was wrong in our time.
I do not argue that Joe Biden will be a conservative president, but I do suggest that he will return decency to the Oval Office, that he will right many of the most egregious wrongs of this administration, and that he will put the safety and well-being of the American people above himself.
Jennifer Horn, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party, is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project. Follow her on Twitter: @NHJennifer
A Republican's reasons for voting for Biden: Cindy McCain
As a proud, lifelong Republican I have done my share of campaigning for our party’s candidates. My decision to endorse Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was not taken lightly, and I owe it to my fellow Republicans to explain why I’m convinced he is the best choice on this year’s ballot to lead the nation as president of the United States.
My husband believed in straight talk and country first. So do I. Joe Biden is the right choice to be president at this pivotal time in the country’s history. He is a patriot who believes passionately in America and the principles and values that make it great. He will be a leader whom all Americans can count on to put country above party, patriotism above partisanship, and national interest ahead of his own. Most important, Joe will unite a deeply divided country and bring together all Americans to address and overcome the great challenges we face.
I can vouch for these qualifications because I have known him for four decades. He will have the vote of this proud Republican on Tuesday.
Cindy McCain, whose late husband, Sen. John McCain, was the 2008 Republican nominee for president, is chair of the board of trustees of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University. Follow her on Twitter: @cindymccain
My grandfather did not mince words about the Nazi threat — or say something like, “Hitler will be gone — disappear — like a miracle!” He trusted people with the truth, even when difficult. No! Winston Churchill did not promise the British people a rose garden. What he actually said when he became prime minister in World War II was, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”
Strong leaders are enlightened, not cowed, by knowledge of science. My grandfather was born before automobiles, radio and penicillin. He was fascinated by science. During the war, he kept his friend and adviser, professor Frederick Lindemann ("The Prof") close by him to keep up with the latest scientific inventions. Where would Trump be without science? No INTERNET! No TWEETS! No topnotch medical treatment! It is shocking that a man who pooh-poohs science has his finger on the nuclear button!
I rarely wade into the political waters, but this year, at this moment, I am joining Republicans and Independents for Biden, an affiliate of the Lincoln Project.
Edwina Sandys, a sculptor, painter and U.S. citizen, is Winston Churchill’s granddaughter.


usatoday--2020-11-03--Voting 2020 live updates: 'Army for Trump' claims to enlist 50,000 poll watchers; 100 million Americ

Voting 2020 live updates: 'Army for Trump' claims to enlist 50,000 poll watchers; 100 million Americans voted early

An estimated 100 million ballots were already cast before the first poll sites opened on one of the most divisive and bizarre Election Days in modern history .
Mike Roman , President Donald Trump ’ s director of Election Day Operations , has organized an “ army ” of volunteers to monitor voting in Democratic-leaning areas on Tuesday .
The Trump campaign claims to have enlisted 50,000 poll watchers , many of them registered through an “ Army For Trump ” website that asks his supporters to “ enlist ” in his reelection fight .
The campaign has full-time staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organize the effort .
Experts say that in addition to stirring up conspiracy theories , such efforts can be designed to discourage voters from turning out .
Some context : Without evidence , Trump has relentlessly cast doubt on the security of the election , particularly mail-in ballots .
On Monday he warned that a Supreme Court decision allowing some absentee ballots to be received after Election Day in battleground Pennsylvania would prompt “ rampant ” cheating and “ violence in the streets.
” '' It 's time for Donald Trump to pack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden told supporters in Pennsylvania .
USA TODAY is keeping track of what 's happening as voters around the country cast ballots .
Here are some important resources today : • Did you vote yet ?
Here 's when the voting polls open and close in every state .
• You can keep track of results as they roll in here .
• Follow minute-by-minute Election Day results and headlines from USA TODAY 's politics team here .
Here is our promise to you : We 'll be monitoring polling places nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More from USA TODAY 's Editor-in-Chief Nicole Carroll .
Historic early voting : Numbers compiled by the U.S .
Elections Project website show at least 99.6 million people have already voted .
USA TODAY 's politics team has the latest updates from the campaign trail here .
News from polling sites across the nation : • In Chicago , Rasul Freelin , a police sergeant , said he and his son Diata Freelin , 18 , had no concerns about voter intimidation at the polls : “ We lived in this community .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , so I felt very confident that it would be safe.
” • In Pennsylvania , 300 people wrapped around the building and throughout a parking lot at a Doylestown senior center where polls opened about 15 minutes late due to technical issues .
• In Washington , D.C. , at the University of the District of Columbia , Kendra Washington , 37 , said it felt compelled to vote in person .
`` I did n't trust the mail-in voting process .
I wanted to know that it would count .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots and I 've had issues with mail in the past . ''
• In New York City , Ulysses Ware , 58 , said he tried to get a ballot by mail but he said it never came .
He wasn ’ t too worried at the polling site in Brooklyn , though .
The process was quick and safe , he said .
Easy does it : How to avoid being overcome by election misinformation Distortions and flat-out lies are expected to flow swiftly today and in the election 's aftermath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil discourse and cause Americans to question the results .
To avoid being fooled by misinformation – besides getting your news from this blog – is to take a mental step back during breaking news , experts say .
Read more here .
`` Be careful with making snap judgments based on information that is clearly a developing situation , '' said Katy Byron , program manager of journalism nonprofit The Poynter Institute ’ s MediaWise , a fact-checking training organization .
`` The most misinformation that gets shared is during breaking news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election and the results are that on steroids . ''
Early and mail-in voting in North Carolina set a record of 4.57 million ballots locked in before Election Day dawned , a number already approaching the roughly 4.7 million ballots cast in the entire 2016 election .
The state elections board will begin reporting unofficial results shortly after 7:30 p.m. , and it expects at least 97 % of all ballots will be reported Tuesday night .
Due to the logistics of collecting the ballots and delivering them to county election offices in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late into the night , but we will be as expeditious as we possibly can in those returns , ” said Karen Brinson Bell , executive director of the N.C. State Board of Elections .
Twitter posted a warning label on an election-eve tweet from President Donald Trump noting that his assertion that a recent Supreme Court decision could lead to problems in the election is misleading .
Trump has repeatedly slammed a Supreme Court decision last week that will allow some absentee ballots to be received after Election Day in the battleground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , Trump warned it would prompt “ rampant ” cheating and “ violence in the streets.
” There is no evidence that either outcome is likely and the court 's decision was limited .
The 4-4 decision allowed ballots that were postmarked by Election Day – or ballots with illegible postmarks – to be received through Nov. 6 , three days after the election .
Ohio county overwhelmed by early voters forced to use paper pollbooks Ohio 's Franklin County , home to the capital and largest city of Columbus , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , a move that could make the voting process slower in Ohio 's largest county .
Electronic pollbooks allow poll workers to quickly check in voters at their precinct polling location , but problems uploading the most recent data overnight prompted the county Board of Elections to make the change .
An updated electronic file containing data about who voted early was too large due to the unprecedented level of early voting in Franklin County , officials said .
A record number of absentee ballots and early votes were cast in Franklin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 833,000 registered voters had cast ballots as of Monday evening .
President Donald Trump , who has falsely claimed voter fraud is widespread , has called for an army of poll watchers to ensure the election is fair .
Right-wing extremist groups have signaled they plan to heed the call .
Left-wing groups have vowed to confront people they believe are engaged in voter suppression .
Extremist groups are planning actions in key states , including Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin , according to the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media .
The leader of a right-wing extremist group in Georgia said he has “ troops ” ready to descend on polling places if he hears reports of voter fraud .
“ We ’ re going in undercover to start with , ” Justin Thayer said .
“ We don ’ t want to intimidate anyone , and we ’ re not aligned with any political party , but if we do discover fraud , we have guys on standby , and if we need to shut down a precinct , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's a link to track your vote Only 19 states have a process requiring election officials to notify voters if problems occur with their ballots and offer an opportunity to fix them , according to Votingrightslab.org .
But 47 states and the District of Columbia have portals that allow voters to track the status of their ballot , the National Vote at Home Institute reports .
In the majority of states , all voters have access to a statewide ballot tracking system .
Entering your name , address , date of birth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow you to see the status of the ballot .
Here is how to track a ballot in your state .
The constitutional rights of pre-Election Day protesters must be protected from the Alamance County Sheriff ’ s department and the police department in Graham , North Carolina , a lawsuit filed in federal court claims .
Marchers and voters clashed with police Saturday , after sheriff 's deputies used pepper spray to break up a demonstration that planned to lead voters to the polls on the last day of early voting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets for traffic .
“ The assault on peaceful demonstrators in Graham , North Carolina , shocks the conscience and is an astounding display of police violence perpetrated against Black people and other supporters in the final moments of the general election , '' said Kristen Clarke , president and executive director of the Lawyers ' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law .
`` Racially motivated attacks on peaceful demonstrators are a grotesque form of voter intimidation and these acts of violence should have no place in our democracy.
” Two early-voting New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two tiny New Hampshire communities that vote for president just after the stroke of midnight on Election Day cast their ballots – and split for their favorites .
Dixville Notch cast five votes for former Vice President Joe Biden in a shutout for President Donald Trump .
But in Millsfield , 12 miles to the south , Trump won 16 votes to Biden ’ s five .
Unlike past years , a crush of media could n't watch the results revealed because of concerns about having too many people inside due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hart ’ s Location , decided against midnight voting this year because of the virus .
Harris County , Texas , closes all but one drive-thru vote centers Harris County , Texas , is going to close nine of its 10 drive-thru voting locations Tuesday despite having won a court victory on Monday that ensures almost 127,000 Houston-area votes will be counted , pending appeal .
County Clerk Chris Hollins tweeted that although he believes drive-thru voting is `` a safe and convenient option for Harris County voters , '' he noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the tents used for most of the voting locations do not qualify as buildings , as required to be polling places .
`` I can not in good faith encourage voters to cast their ballots in tents if that puts their votes at risk , '' Hollins wrote .
The only drive-thru voting center will be the Toyota Center .
Illegal voting in battleground Wisconsin ?
It 's not a thing Amid the nationwide paranoia over voting fraud , a study of illegal voting in Wisconsin determined that it pretty much just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commission identified 158 suspected cases referred to 46 county prosecutors from 2016 to 2018 .
Even if all of them were actually illegal votes , the number is a minute fraction of ballots cast .
The highest number of referrals came in the 2018 general election after the elections commission expanded its capability to detect fraud .
The 58 suspected cases out of 2.7 million votes cast represents 0.002 % of all votes , or about 1 in every 46,000 .
Most of the issues , it turned out , were from errors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after case and time after time , allegations of material numbers of people intentionally committing vote fraud , they just don ’ t withstand any scrutiny , ” said Kenneth Mayer , professor of American politics at the University of Wisconsin .
Election problems : What to keep in mind This cheat sheet from Columbia Journalism Review offers tips for media organizations reporting on Election 2020 that are a good reminder of what to expect on Election Day .
• Voting problems are n't failures .
They happen every year and , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines not working or polling places opening late do n't mean anything is `` rigged . ''
• Some problems , however , are significant .
CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters , calling out Georgia as a place to monitor .
• Do n't expect a winner on Election Night .
This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30 % .
Previously , that number was 3 % -5 % .
It will take a while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wait .
State vote certification deadlines differ and do n't have to be reported to the federal level until Dec. 8 .
Additionally , the Electoral College doesn ’ t meet until Dec. 14 .
Headlines from elsewhere and resources on voting • From ProPublica : Their Electionland project goes deep on issues that can affect eligible voters ' ability to cast a ballot .
• From Pew/Stateline : The Barriers to the Ballot Box project takes on how changes to polling places impact communities .
• Ballotopedia : Resources and guides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also voting .
• From the Associated Press : More voting headlines that should be on your radar .
☑How to make sure your mail-in ballot is counted and not discarded .
🗳 USA TODAY 's Voter Guide has everything you need on registering to vote , when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues .
📧For updates to your inbox , subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter .
Nearly 24,000 lawyers are volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection , a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups , said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections .
They ’ re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following .
The Election Protection hotline ( 866-OUR-VOTE ) is available all year , but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states .
The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July , averaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At this point in 2016 , the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year .

Live updates on voting on Election Day: USPS misses deadline; misleading robocalls, isolated incidents of glitches
Isolated incidents of technological glitches and some efforts to suppress voting – in the form of misleading robocalls being probed by the FBI in several states – kept poll watchers and voters vigilant Tuesday on one of the most divisive Election Days in modern history.
More than 100 million ballots were cast before the first poll sites opened Tuesday, according to the U.S. Elections Project website, but long lines still greeted voters at some locations.
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which has battled in the courts to expand voting access this election season, detailed some Election Day complaints handled by its hotline. Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan – battleground states all – drew the highest volume of calls. Many of them were standard fare for the day, such as glitches with voting machines.
More disturbing were the robocalls made to voters in some states trying to persuade them to stay home and avoid unsubstantiated safety issues. The FBI is investigating the calls, which a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security called attempts at voter intimidation and suppression.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel tweeted that her office had reports of multiple robocalls going to Flint residents telling them that, because of long lines, they should vote on Wednesday.
"Obviously this is FALSE and an effort to suppress the vote," Nessel tweeted. "No long lines and today is the last day to vote. Don’t believe the lies! Have your voice heard!"
In Pennsylvania, some sites opened late and had long lines, particularly in Philadelphia.
“We’ve also received complaints about voter intimidation and yelling about mask requirements,” said Kristen Clarke, executive director of the Lawyers' Committee.
President Donald Trump has relentlessly cast doubt on the security of the election, particularly mail-in ballots. And Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day Operations, organized an army of 50,000 volunteers to monitor day-of voting in Democratic-leaning areas on Tuesday.
Experts say that in addition to stirring up conspiracy theories, such efforts can be designed to discourage voters from turning out.
Challenger Joe Biden has blasted Republican efforts as voter suppression.
"It's time for Donald Trump to pack his bags and go home," Biden told supporters in Pennsylvania.
There was good news, too: Department of Homeland Security officials said Tuesday that there was no indication that foreign interference had compromised early voting and reaffirmed that the American election system was secure.
USA TODAY is keeping track of what's happening as voters around the country cast ballots. Here are some important resources today:
Here is our promise to you: We'll be monitoring polling places nationwide, correcting misinformation and providing accurate results. More from USA TODAY's Editor-in-Chief Nicole Carroll.
Historic early voting: Numbers compiled by the U.S. Elections Project website show more than 100 million people voted before Tuesday. USA TODAY's politics team has the latest updates from the campaign trail here.
The U.S. Postal Service failed to meet a Tuesday deadline for a judge’s order to conduct a sweep of its mail processing facilities in more than a dozen states across the United States to search for undelivered absentee ballots that could number in the hundreds of thousands.
The required 4:30 p.m. ET response to U. S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan said the post office was “unable to accelerate" its ongoing daily review process to conduct the sweep Sullivan had ordered between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. "without significantly disrupting preexisting activities on the day of the Election.”
The USPS said it's reviewing 220 facilities across the country for potential incidents involving election mail, including searching staging and non-staging areas. Time is of the essence. In 29 states, mail ballots are only counted if they arrive by Election Day.
Sullivan, based in Washington, D.C., ordered the sweep Tuesday morning after the agency said about 300,000 ballots that had arrived at its facilities had not been scanned as delivered.
Changes in the postal service implemented under new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a major GOP donor, led to mail delays nationwide and raised questions about the agency's ability to deliver amid the pandemic-driven spike in mail voting.
In a federal court filing, the postal service reported its performance processing score for handling ballots to be returned had fallen for the fifth day in a row. On Sunday, Sullivan had ordered the USPS to implement "extraordinary measures" to ensure the delivery of ballots by the state deadlines on Tuesday. Twenty-nine states require absentee ballots to be received by Election Day.
– Dinah Voyles Pulver
The FBI is investigating the source of a barrage of robocalls that have urged prospective voters in recent weeks to stay at home because of unsubstantiated safety concerns, a senior Department of Homeland Security official said Tuesday.
The official, who asked to remain anonymous to candidly discuss ongoing election security issues, said the calls represented attempts at voter intimidation and suppression. While the official said the FBI was reviewing the matter, he said the nature of the calls were similar to other intimidation tactics that emerge “in every election.”
Overall, the DHS official said there have been no major disruptions, with technical glitches causing only temporary outages.
In multiple tweets, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel cautioned voters against assorted misinformation campaigns surrounding Election Day. One text targeting voters in the Dearborn area, the Washington Post reported, wrongly advises voters “intending on voting for Joe Biden” to vote for Trump – and vice versa – because of “ballot sensor issues.” A robocall being delivered to Flint-area voters falsely tells them “they should vote tomorrow” because of long lines in the area.
Nessel also tweeted that she had been to the polls in Detroit and Dearborn.
"No reported issues," she wrote. "It’s safe and secure and everything is running smoothly. No need to worry about a long wait or any disturbances."
– Kevin Johnson and Joshua Bote
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law detailed a series of hotline calls in the first few hours of voting Tuesday. Executive Director Kristen Clarke said the highest call volume was coming from Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan and Texas. Many of the callers reported technology issues, people having trouble accessing poll sites, sites that opened late or voter ID and registration issues, Clarke said. Some of the most “serious concerns” were in the Georgia counties of Spalding, Morgan and Gwinnett.
In an afternoon call, Clarke said the 2020 election was thus far characterized by "record turnout levels," and that they had not seen "major systemic problems or attempts to restrict voters."
In her last call of the night, while pointing out that many polling places in Georgia had to stay open later than originally planned, Clarke said that overall, the "extraordinary voter protection efforts proved strong and robust this election cycle," though she warned that "voter intimidation incidents can't be ignored, even if they're not widespread."
She added that she was "very disappointed" by the United States Postal Service failing to meet the deadline set by a federal judge.
– Grace Hauck and Lindsay Schnell
A woman voting in Hanson, Massachusetts, a suburb south of Boston, was asked to remove her Black Lives Matter mask before casting her ballot on Election Day, prompting an intervention from state election officials who clarified that support for the protest movement does not constitute the type of campaigning banned inside Massachusetts polling places.
The voter successfully cast her ballot after switching masks, according to the Election Protection Coalition, a watchdog group that raised concerns about the incident.
The voter, who was not identified, entered the town’s only polling place at the Hanson Middle School wearing a protective mask marked with the words Black Lives Matter.
Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan, Hanson’s highest-ranking election official, said she asked the voter to leave and change masks before returning to cast her ballot. During the interaction, Sloan said she cited a Massachusetts law that prohibits campaigning within 150 feet of a polling place, including political signage and apparel directly related to candidates and ballot questions up for a vote.
But experts in election law were adamant that the voter in Hanson should not have been asked to remove her Black Lives Matter mask.
“That is not campaign material,” said Rashaan Hall, an ACLU lawyer who helped coordinate the Election Protection Coalition’s hotline for concerned voters. “That is not electioneering.”
– Ben Berke, The (Brockton, Mass.) Enterprise
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf shrugged off menacing statements directed his way from President Donald Trump, saying Pennsylvanians "will not be intimidated. You can watch us count every vote and have a fair election."
The president, outraged over state rules for mail-in ballots, used one of his last pitches to Pennsylvanians to sow doubt in the state's democratic process. "Governor, please don’t cheat, because we’re all watching," Trump said. "We’re all watching you, governor. We have a lot of eyes on the governor."
As of Tuesday morning, only one case of election fraud had been reported in Pennsylvania – a Republican man in Luzerne County tried to fill out a ballot for his dead mother.
– Candy Woodall
Members of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation shared observations of voter intimidation, long lines and some hopeful moments on a Tuesday briefing on voter concerns.
Voters in Mississippi were waiting in long lines, not always able to access curbside voting and had reported receiving false calls telling them their precinct had been closed. An election protection worker in Florida said her team contacted authorities after a man with a sign supporting President Donald Trump attempted to harass voters in line. At one precinct near the Poconos in Pennsylvania, Trump supporters reportedly charged their cars at voters who were in line along a highway.
“Folks being able to think they can show up to our communities and intimidate us from voting is my biggest concern,” NCBCP President Melanie Campbell said.
-- N'dea Yancey-Bragg
Distortions and flat-out lies are expected to flow swiftly Tuesday and in the election's aftermath as the misinformation age threatens to disrupt civil discourse and cause Americans to question the results. The best way to avoid being fooled by misinformation – besides getting your news from this blog – is to take a mental step back during breaking news, experts say. Read more here.
"Be careful with making snap judgments based on information that is clearly a developing situation," said Katy Byron, program manager of The Poynter Institute's MediaWise, a fact-checking training organization. "The most misinformation that gets shared is during breaking news stories, developing stories – and the election and the results are that on steroids."
– Nathan Bomey
News from polling sites across the nation:
• Vote totals in North Carolina won't start to get released until 8:15 p.m. ET at the earliest because four of the state's 2,660 voting precincts opened later than the scheduled 6:30 a.m. The state Board of Elections decided to extend voting times at those precincts by the amount of time they were delayed and was also considering extending hours for seven other precincts.
• A judge in DeKalb County, Georgia, east of Atlanta, authorized the extension of voting hours in two polling places that opened late so voters would have the required 12 hours of voting availability.
• In Pennsylvania, 300 people wrapped around the building and throughout a parking lot at a Doylestown senior center where polls opened about 15 minutes late because of technical issues.
• In Washington, D.C., Kendra Washington, 37, said she felt compelled to vote in person. "I didn't trust the mail-in voting process. I wanted to know that it would count. Mail gets lost, people throw away ballots, and I've had issues with mail in the past."
Early and mail-in voting in North Carolina set a record of 4.57 million ballots received before Election Day dawned, a number already approaching the roughly 4.7 million ballots cast in the entire 2016 election. The state elections board will begin reporting unofficial results shortly after 7:30 p.m., and it expects at least 97% of all ballots will be reported Tuesday night.
Because of the logistics of collecting the ballots and delivering them to county election offices in rural areas, “we may be late into the night, but we will be as expeditious as we possibly can in those returns,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the N.C. State Board of Elections.
– Brian Gordon and Paul Woolverton
Twitter posted a warning label on an election-eve tweet from President Donald Trump noting that his assertion that a recent Supreme Court decision could lead to problems in the election is misleading. Trump has repeatedly slammed a Supreme Court decision last week that will allow some absentee ballots to be received after Election Day in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. In a tweet Monday, Trump warned it would prompt “rampant” cheating and “violence in the streets.”
There is no evidence that either outcome is likely and the court's decision was limited. The 4-4 decision allowed ballots that were postmarked by Election Day – or ballots with illegible postmarks – to be received through Nov. 6, three days after the election.
– John Fritze and Courtney Subramanian
Ohio's Franklin County, the state's largest and home to the capital city of Columbus, was compelled to use paper pollbooks for Election Day, which could slow down the voting process.
Electronic pollbooks allow poll workers to quickly check in voters at their precinct polling location, but problems uploading the most recent data overnight prompted the county Board of Elections to make the change.
An updated electronic file containing data about who voted early was too large because of the unprecedented level of early voting in Franklin County, officials said. A record number of absentee ballots and early votes were cast in Franklin County, where 53% of its 833,000 registered voters had cast ballots as of Monday evening.
– Rick Rouan, The Columbus Dispatch
More news from polling sites across the nation:
• In the historically diverse community of Mount Airy in Philadelphia, Vickie Fontaine, a 75-year-old retired school teacher, was one of the first in line at her polling location, braving 40 degree temperatures and whipping winds as she waited for the doors to open at 7 a.m. Fontaine, who's Black, said she was carrying on the legacy of ancestors who fought for the right to vote in North Carolina. "If they could stand out and be beaten and suffer trying to vote, I can certainly stand in line," Fontaine said.
• In New York City, Ulysses Ware, 58, said he tried to get a ballot by mail, but said it never came. He wasn’t too worried at the polling site in Brooklyn, though. The process was quick and safe, he said.
• In Texas, Sister Socorro Arenas, 48, originally from Puebla, Mexico, has lived in the U.S. for 20 years. “I have been thinking about what is best for El Paso and the United States,” she said. “I voted for Biden.” But George Chavez, 42, said he was a lifelong Democrat before he voted for Trump in 2016 and he plans to vote Trump again Tuesday.
Voters around the U.S. registered just a few complaints of alleged intimidation at polling places by late Tuesday, leaving experts and voting rights advocates thankful that threats by extremist groups to converge on polling places did not materialize.
But they were still on guard for the hours, days and weeks to come.
Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which runs a national voting complaint hotline, told reporters late Tuesday afternoon there were “very isolated and sporadic” reports of alleged intimidation, including armed individuals at polling places.
“Fortunately this hasn’t been a systematic or widespread issue,” she said. “We certainly were prepared for this being a bigger problem than it proved to be today.”
President Donald Trump, who has falsely claimed voter fraud is widespread, had called for an army of poll watchers to ensure the election would be fair. Right-wing extremist groups had signaled they would heed the call. Left-wing groups had vowed to confront people they believed were engaged in voter suppression.
But with just a couple hours of voting left in the eastern United States, Tuesday was relatively sedate.
– Donovan Slack and Will Carless
Only 19 states have a process requiring election officials to notify voters if problems occur with their ballots and offer an opportunity to fix them, according to Votingrightslab.org.
But 47 states and the District of Columbia have portals that allow voters to track the status of their ballot, the National Vote at Home Institute reports. In the majority of states, all voters have access to a statewide ballot tracking system.
Entering your name, address, date of birth and other details into the portal will allow you to see the status of the ballot. Here is how to track a ballot in your state.
Harris County, Texas, closed nine of its 10 drive-through voting locations Tuesday despite having won a court victory Monday that ensures almost 127,000 Houston-area votes will be counted, pending appeal.
County Clerk Chris Hollins tweeted that although he believes drive-through voting is "a safe and convenient option for Harris County voters," he noted U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen's belief that the tents used for most of the voting locations do not qualify as buildings, as required to be polling places.
"I cannot in good faith encourage voters to cast their ballots in tents if that puts their votes at risk," Hollins wrote. The only drive-through voting center will be the Toyota Center.
Amid the nationwide paranoia over voting fraud, a study of illegal voting in Wisconsin determined that it pretty much just doesn't happen. The Wisconsin Elections Commission identified 158 suspected cases referred to 46 county prosecutors from 2016 to 2018. Even if all of them were actually illegal votes, the number is a minute fraction of ballots cast.
The highest number of referrals came in the 2018 general election after the elections commission expanded its capability to detect fraud. The 58 suspected cases out of 2.7 million votes cast represents 0.002% of all votes, or about 1 in every 46,000. Most of the issues, it turned out, were from errors and not fraud.
– Eric Litke, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Election problems: What to keep in mind
This cheat sheet from Columbia Journalism Review offers tips for media organizations reporting on Election 2020 that are a good reminder of what to expect on Election Day.
Voting problems aren't failures. They happen every year and, as CJR notes, hiccups such as voting machines not working or polling places opening late don't mean anything is "rigged."
happen every year and, as CJR notes, hiccups such as voting machines not working or polling places opening late don't mean anything is "rigged." Some problems, however, are significant. CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters, calling out Georgia as a place to monitor.
CJR recommends the media scrutinize areas that have a history of voter suppression or obstructing minority voters, calling out Georgia as a place to monitor. Don't expect a winner on Election Night. This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30%. Previously, that number was 3%-5%. It will take a while to tally.
This year is different because mail-in ballots could be as high as 30%. Previously, that number was 3%-5%. It will take a while to tally. Seriously, expect to wait. State vote certification deadlines differ and don't have to be reported to the federal level until Dec. 8. Additionally, the Electoral College doesn’t meet until Dec. 14.
Headlines from elsewhere and resources on voting
From ProPublica : Their Electionland project goes deep on issues that can affect eligible voters' ability to cast a ballot.
: Their Electionland project goes deep on issues that can affect eligible voters' ability to cast a ballot. From Pew/Stateline : The Barriers to the Ballot Box project takes on how changes to polling places impact communities.
: The Barriers to the Ballot Box project takes on how changes to polling places impact communities. Ballotopedia : Resources and guides to not just the election, but also voting.
: Resources and guides to not just the election, but also voting. From the Associated Press: More voting headlines that should be on your radar.
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Worried about voter suppression? Lawyers have election laws hotline
Nearly 24,000 lawyers are volunteering to help voters across the country navigate changes in what has become an unprecedented election cycle. Organizers of Election Protection, a national coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups, said the number of volunteers has quadrupled since the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections. They’re bracing for even more calls as Election Day nears and in the days and weeks following.
The Election Protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) is available all year, but calls have ramped up in recent weeks as millions started casting ballots early in some states. The hotline has received more than 100,000 calls since July, averaging about 7,000 a day, organizers said. At this point in 2016, the group had fielded 21,000 calls since January of that year.
– Deborah Barfield Berry
Contributing: Grace Hauck in Chicago; Ryan Miller in New York, Joshua Bote and Kevin Johnson in Washington; Alan Gomez in Miami; Kyle Bagenstose in Philadelphia; Lauren Villagran, El Paso Times. Also, The Associated Press