Nevada SoS Tells Ballot Harvesters to Pound Sand

(Annie Black) – As noted in yesterday’s AnnieGram, Mark Elias – a former Hillary Clinton lawyer “whose firm hired Fusion GPS to produce opposition research on Donald Trump leading to the phony Russia dossier” (Breitbart News) – threatened to sue the Nevada Secretary of State over the planned all-mail primary election in June.

Among the demands…

• Allow “ballot harvesting”
• Open up more polling locations
• Mail to “inactive” voters
• Don’t verify signatures

Late yesterday afternoon, Wayne Thorley, Deputy Secretary of State for Elections, issued a response that was along lines of Gen. McAuliffe’s “Nuts” response when the Nazis demanded his surrender during the Battle of the Bulge.

Mr. Thorley declined the demand to open more polling locations, writing that it would create “logistical and staffing challenges, as well as increased risk of the spread of the coronavirus.”

He rejected the demand to mail ballots to inactive voters, noting that “would increase printing and mailing costs and result in a significant amount of undeliverable ballots.”

He rejected the demand to “disregard long-standing voter integrity provisions found in (state law), including the restriction on ballot harvesting.”

He also rejected the demand to “extend the signature cure deadline,” noting that the deadline is required by state law.

“We are a nation of laws,” Mr. Thorley concluded.  “My job…is to faithfully execute and enforce state election laws as written.”

In other words: “NUTS!”

The only area of concern that was not addressed was the demand not to verify signatures.  That’s HUGE.  Hopefully, that’ll be addressed in the coming days.

And just as a reminder, I’m opposed to the all-mail primary election in Nevada.  My opponent, Assemblyman Chris Edwards, is for it.

Meanwhile, in other mail-in election news, Breitbart reported this morning…

“True The Vote (TTV), a grassroots organization supporting election integrity, on Tuesday stopped leftist efforts to force New Mexico to shift to a mail-in election system in the state’s upcoming June primary.”

From local state television outlet KRQE from Santa Fe…

“The New Mexico Supreme Court has rejected an emergency petition from the Secretary of State and county clerks to send all New Mexico voters a mail-in ballot for the upcoming 2020 primary election.

“The court ruled unanimously [Tuesday] evening that state law prohibits the Secretary of State and county clerks from sending every registered voter an absentee ballot for the scheduled June 2 primary.

“Petitioners had been seeking a complete shift to a vote-by-mail election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the state’s subsequent health orders limiting public gatherings.”

The court ordered county clerks to mail every voter an absentee ballot APPLICATION, not actual ballots.  It further ordered “all in-person voting on election day or in early voting to comply with the state’s ongoing public health orders” – which surely could be changed, altered or ended by June.

“This decision by the Court ensures that the health and safety of every voter and worker is protected, while making sure that our election will not be susceptible to fraud,” said New Mexico GOP Chairman Steve Pearce.  “We are pleased that the Justices recognized this and that we can proceed with a fair and free election in a safe environment.”

In the New Mexico case the left was trying to force the courts to order an all-mail election without legislative approval.  The difference in Nevada is that the Secretary of State ordered the all-mail election, but again without legislative approval.

However, that decision might now be challenged in court, as well.

“If you are facing this in your state and are fighting back, True The Vote will have your back,” TTV’s Catherine Engelbrecht told Breitbart.  “This is just the beginning.  We’re headed to Nevada next, where a similar situation is in play, and we’re going to stop it there too.”

As Yogi Berra so famously said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”

From the AnnieGram Mailbag

“Why the rush for vote by mail if not to CHEAT?  We have 2 months before voting starts and 7 months before the big vote. These LIBTARDS know the only way to WIN is to CHEAT by mail-in voting.  The numbers don’t lie.” – David Burney

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Democrats’ entire strategy is to legalize ballot harvesting nationwide, and this letter (threatening a lawsuit) proves it.  Sending far-left activists door-to-door to collect ballots not only jeopardizes people’s health, it threatens the security of their ballot.  The last thing our country needs during a time of crisis is to weaken confidence in our elections, but that is exactly what would happen if Democrats get their way.” – Republican National Committee Chief of Staff Richard Walters

Annie Black is a Mesquite City Councilwoman and Republican candidate for Nevada State Assembly District 19.  You can get more information by visiting www.electannieblack.com