Election Day Archives - Tennessee Star

Commentary: The Theory That the Trump Era Is over Is Wrong

March 6, 2021March 5, 2021 Admin

The effect of President Trump’s address to the Conservative Political Action Committee on Sunday has become clearer this week. The key sentence was, “A Republican president will be returning to the White House.” Since the only other living Republican president, George W. Bush, is term-limited, Trump was speaking of himself.

The speech was not only the best and most interesting political speech delivered in the United States since President Reagan’s successful reelection campaign in 1984, it also broke new ground in three important respects.

Georgia’s Protections, Checks and Balances on the Vote Counting Process

November 11, 2020November 10, 2020 Corinne Murdock

In the disarray and distrust inspired by alleged voting irregularities in Georgia, it stands that the hallmarks of a trustworthy vote-counting process should be revisited.

The Tennessee Star contacted the elections officials a range of the most populated counties in the state to gain insider perspective and knowledge. However, several of the officials refused to offer comment, and the remainder didn’t respond by press time.

USPS Sweeps Discover Thousands of Absentee Ballots in Pennsylvania and North Carolina

November 7, 2020November 6, 2020 Corinne Murdock

After conducting internal sweeps, the United States Postal Service (USPS) discovered over 2,000 more mail-in ballots for Pennsylvania and North Carolina on Thursday. D.C. Federal District Judge Emmet Sullivan ordered twice-daily postal center sweeps after a reported 300,000 ballots were reported as undelivered. Workers accrued about 40,000 mail-in ballots altogether…

Commentary: What We Have Learned So Far

November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 Admin

Democratic veteran James Carville, speaking for many in the chattering class, had confidently predicted earlier in the week that a Biden victory would be obvious by at least 10 o’clock on Tuesday night. That didn’t happen. Trump has proven harder for the Dems to kill than they thought. Will we know soon who has won the election?

Trump Wins Ohio, Florida and Texas, Closes Electoral Vote Gap with Biden in Race to 270

November 4, 2020November 5, 2020 The Center Square

President Donald Trump won the key battleground states of Ohio, Florida and Texas and he holds leads in all the others but Arizona as former Vice President Joe Biden’s path to victory narrowed.

Trump so far has been declared the winner in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

Minnesota Voters Sour on State of Nation

November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 The Associated Press

Voters in Minnesota made their pick for president while holding negative views about the country’s direction, according to an expansive AP survey of the American electorate.

The race between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden concluded Tuesday in a deeply divided nation struggling with a once-in-a-century pandemic and a severe economic downturn. AP VoteCast found that more than 3 in 10 Minnesota voters said the U.S. is on the right track and more than 6 in 10 voters said it is headed in the wrong direction.

Ilhan Omar Wins the Fifth Congressional Seat, Defends Status as Squad Member

November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 The Center Square

Incumbent Democrat Ilhan Omar defeated Republican Lacy Johnson by a landslide to clinch the seat for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District.

According to the Associated Press, Omar seized more than 65% of the vote, or over 232,000 votes compared to Johnson’s 25.2%, or 89,000 votes, with 90% of precincts reporting.

2020 Presidential Election Sets Records in Ohio

November 4, 2020November 3, 2020 Jack Windsor

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) held a press briefing at the Ohio State House on Tuesday to discuss the 2020 US Election.

“Way back in March and April we started to roll up our sleeves and figure out how are we going to run a Presidential Election in the midst of a pandemic. Obviously, this is an historic election. One unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” said LaRose.

Ohio boasts 4,000 poll locations and 56,000 poll volunteers and to handle the estimated 6 million voters – which would break a record according to LaRose.

President Trump Takes Bellwether Ohio Again

November 4, 2020November 4, 2020 The Associated Press

Republican President Donald Trump has again won Ohio, a traditional bellwether for the nation.

Democrat Joe Biden mounted a vigorous challenge to Trump for the state’s 18 electoral votes, but fell short. Meanwhile, the state’s U.S. House incumbents again swept to victory in districts drawn for their elective safety.

Pennsylvania’s Dem AG Declares ‘Trump Is Going to Lose’

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 Admin

The attorney general of Pennsylvania has already declared Joe Biden the winner of the Keystone State as long as “all the votes are added up.”

“If all the votes are added up in PA, Trump is going to lose,” Josh Shapiro tweeted Saturday Afternoon. “That’s why he’s working overtime to subtract as many votes as possible from this process.”

In an Open Letter to Ohioans, Gov DeWine Calls for ‘Unity’ and for a Renewed Commitment to Fight the Coronavirus

November 2, 2020November 1, 2020 Admin

Two days before the Election Day 2020, Governor Mike DeWine delivered an open letter to Ohioans. In it, he called for unity and for the people of the Buckeye State to renew their commitment to “fight the coronavirus.”

“On this Sunday before Election Day, I encourage you to vote if you have not already done so. Exercise and enjoy this sacred right that we, as Americans, hold so dear,” the letter begins.

Commentary: Now, It’s up to You

November 1, 2020October 31, 2020 Admin

Tuesday is Election Day and the choice has never been clearer in American electoral history.

Businesses in Major Cities Board Up Ahead of Election As Left-Wing Radicals Plan to ‘Create a Crisis’

November 1, 2020October 31, 2020 Admin

In cities across the nation, wary residents are preparing for violent demonstrations surrounding the election.

Businesses in Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, Portland, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, and many other cities have begun to board up windows and entrances with plywood ahead of the expected violence.

Ohio Governor Says Guard Will be Ready If Asked on Election Day

November 1, 2020October 31, 2020 Admin

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine did not hesitate when asked if the Ohio National Guard would be used on election day to help keep the peace. Troops will provide support, although DeWine hopes a need doesn’t arise.

Speaking this week at a news conference to announce $5 billion of help for businesses across the state during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, DeWine said guard troops could be used in the same roles as during summer protests in some cities, as support for local law enforcement.

Commentary: Biden Is Sinking

October 30, 2020October 29, 2020 Admin

Bigfoot conspiracy theorists and flat-earthers on Wednesday sought distance between themselves and those claiming the Hunter Biden pay-for-play scandal is “Russian disinformation.”

Written off as skullduggery, the New York Post’s Hunter Biden story now entangles his father, Joe Biden.

20,000 Texas Mail-in Ballots Need to Be Redone Because of Barcode Problem

October 29, 2020October 28, 2020 Admin

Approximately one-third the mail-in ballots in Tarrant County, Texas have been rejected by scanners due to a defect in their barcodes, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Heider Garcia, the county’s elections administrator, attributed the problem to the shop that printed that ballots, but assured that the ballots affected would still be counted, according to the Texas outlet.

Judge: Virginia Can’t Count Some Ballots Without Postmarks

October 29, 2020October 28, 2020 The Associated Press

A judge ruled Wednesday that Virginia elections officials cannot count absentee ballots with missing postmarks unless they can confirm the date of mailing through a barcode, granting part of an injunction requested by a conservative legal group.

The Public Interest Legal Foundation sued the Virginia Department of Elections and members of the Virginia State Board of Elections earlier this month, challenging a regulation that instructed local election officials to count absentee ballots with missing or illegible postmarks — as long as the ballots are received by noon on the Friday after Election Day, Nov. 3.

Dems With Power Flex Their Muscles Ahead of Election Day to Push Agendas, Punish Trump Supporters

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020 Admin

As Election Day draws near, Democrat business owners and politicians are increasingly flexing their muscles to push their politics into peoples’ faces and punish those who have opposing views. There have been multiple reports in the past year about Trump supporters being fired for expressing their support for the president.

In the past couple of weeks, two more Trump supporters have been fired and a CEO of a major software company has sent a mass email to millions of customers telling them to vote for Joe Biden.

First Time-Voters in Tennessee Don’t Have to Vote in-Person Due to Coronavirus

October 21, 2020March 5, 2021 Zachery Schmidt

Tennessee first-time voters will not have to vote in person this year due to the coronavirus, according to Fox News.

Instead of voting in person, these new voters will have access to absentee ballot options. The deadline for obtaining an absentee ballot is October 27.

Tennessee Republican Party Leaders Plan Road to Victory Bus Tour to Get Out the Vote

October 17, 2020October 17, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

Tennessee legislative leaders, as well as Gov. Bill Lee, plan to stage a number of bus stops around the state for much of the rest of October to get out the vote.

The statewide Road to Victory bus tour is meant to encourage citizens to vote and to elect Republican candidates, according to a press release from the Tennessee Republican Party.

Trump Will Win Virginia, Delegation Chairman Says Following Poll Showing Biden and President in 5 Point Race

September 25, 2020September 24, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

A new poll shows Joe Biden leading President Donald Trump by only 5 points, nearly at the margin of error of 3.9 percent, but the president’s delegation chairman says that does not factor in Trump’s grassroots effort.

The Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University released the poll, which is available here.

Michigan Judge Rules Absentee Ballots That Arrive up to Two Weeks After Election Day Still Valid

September 20, 2020September 19, 2020 Jordyn Pair

A Michigan state judge ruled on Friday that absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day can still be counted.

Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens ruled that absentee ballots that are postmarked for November 2 can still be counted even if they arrive up to two weeks after polls close on Election Day, according to reporting from CNN and ABC News. Absentee ballots were previously only allowed to be counted if they arrived before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Minnesota Secretary of State Sends Letters Telling Those Who Haven’t Requested Absentee Ballots to Vote from Home

September 20, 2020September 19, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Minnesota’s Secretary of State Steve Simon is sending letters telling those who haven’t requested an absentee ballot to vote from home. An estimated 2.3 million voters will receive the letter and an absentee ballot application.
The letter asserts that staying safe and keeping other citizens healthy “means voting from home.”

Michigan’s Top Elections Official Says That Results Won’t Be Available November 3

September 7, 2020September 6, 2020 Admin

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Sunday that it could take up to a week to count all of Michigan’s absentee ballots for November’s election.

“We should be prepared for this to be closer to an election week, as opposed to an Election Day,” she said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The bottom line is we are not going to have the full results and a counting of all of our ballots on election night.”

Benson said that Michigan’s election officials were “laser-focused” on ensuring that all ballots are counted accurately, and referenced how her office had purchased more voting tabulators in order to ensure that the influx of absentee ballots could be counted as efficiently as possible.

Nearly 3,000 Tennesseans Have Signed Up to Work Polls

July 16, 2020July 15, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Nearly 3,000 Tennesseans have signed up to be poll workers for the state’s August 6 primary election, Secretary of State Tre Hargett said.

“I am encouraged by how many students and young adults have applied to serve as poll officials,” Hargett said in a press release. “A successful election would not be possible without these Tennesseans choosing to serve in their community.”

Biden Adds Three Campaign Staffers in Minnesota

July 16, 2020July 15, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign hired three full-time staffers this week to oversee its campaign operations in Minnesota.

According to ABC News, Ryan Doyle, who managed Keith Ellison’s campaign for attorney general, will serve as Biden’s Minnesota state director.

Minnesota Organization for Retired Americans Sue To Keep Voting Rights for Quarantined Residents

May 15, 2020May 14, 2020 Jordyn Pair

The Minnesota Alliance for Retired American Educational Fund, along with three of its members, filed a lawsuit to protect voting rights of those who may be self-quarantining without a legal adult.

The lawsuit alleges that those who are quarantining alone — or without a voting-age member of the household — essentially lose their ability to cast a vote, as mail-in absentee ballots require a witness signature.

Minnesota Secretary of State Says Statewide Vote by Mail Possible for 2020 Election

April 3, 2020April 2, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said his office is exploring a number of “pandemic election options,” including conducting the entire presidential election by mail-in ballots.

“The current public health crisis has been a serious test for all Minnesotans. It has also been a test for our democracy. I’ve heard from many Minnesotans who wonder how, or even if, we will vote in this high-stakes election year,” Simon said in a statement released last week.

Michigan State University Considering Giving Students Election Day Off

January 21, 2020January 20, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Michigan State University could implement a new “fall break” that would give students Election Day off.

Sandusky, Ohio Will No Longer Observe Columbus Day, Election Day To Become State Holiday Instead

February 12, 2019February 11, 2019 Andrew Shirley

For the first time since 1934, government workers in Sandusky, Ohio will be working on October 12th. The city commissioners approved a measure that would officially eliminate Columbus Day as a federal holiday. In lieu of the lost holiday, Election Day would officially replace it. In a statement to the Sandusky Register, city manager…

GOP Shows Off ‘Happy Democrat’ Bredesen’s True Senate Campaign Resume One Final Time

November 6, 2018November 6, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

It is time for one final review of Phil Bredesen’s Senate campaign resume, the Tennessee Republican Party says in a new video available here. “Now in his final ad of the campaign, Phony Phil Bredesen shows he’s not Tennessee’s guy,” the Tennessee GOP said of the Democratic former governor. Bredesen…

Letter to the Editor: Giving Thanks and Living Gratefully in Today’s Republic

November 1, 2018 Admin

Dear Tennessee Star, November is best known for three special dates: Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day, and every other year, election day. This is one of those years in which we have all three and the interesting, little-understood, facet of this month is that all three of these days are connected. Thanksgiving…

Letter to the Editor: Giving Thanks and Living Gratefully in Today’s Republic

November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 Admin

Media Reports Conflict on Trump Visit to Chattanooga Before Midterms

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

There are conflicting reports on whether President Donald Trump plans to visit Chattanooga just before Election Day. Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence is visiting North Georgia on Nov. 1. News Channel 9 reported Thursday that the president would visit Chattanooga on Nov. 5, citing a statement by U.S. Representative Chuck…

GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Plan Election Night Parties as Bitter Battle Comes Down to Final Day

August 2, 2018August 2, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Bill Lee, Diane Black, Beth Harwell, Randy Boyd

As The Tennessee Star reported Wednesday, the gubernatorial candidates have engaged in a venue-filled, final days sprint across the state to rally votes for today’s primary. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Candidate schedules, in no particular order, are: Beth Harwell Beth Harwell announced she will…

Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Hold Final Get Out the Vote Rallies

August 1, 2018July 31, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

The Republican gubernatorial candidates are making whirlwind, last-minute tours of the state in the closing days of the primary election to get out the votes. Randy Boyd said in a press release, “Too much is at stake and too many people are depending on us. On Primary night, we will…