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By Rob Roper
My wife and I got our ballots in the mail for the 2024 November elections this past week. Our son’s ballot also arrived. The problem with that is my son moved to Washington State over a year ago, re-registered to vote out there, and I personally told our local election officials about his move the last time I voted and noticed his name was still on the checklist — over six months ago.
That’s at least two supposed safeguards that were breached. We’re told that when someone re-registers to vote in another state Vermont is alerted, and the voter is removed from our statewide checklist. Either Washington didn’t notify Vermont, or Vermont didn’t do anything about it when they did. Then, when I told election officials my son had moved, they should have at least listed him as “challenged” and not mailed a ballot to him, if they did not remove him from the checklist immediately. Again, nothing happened.
Elsewhere, a friend shared a photo of a ballot that landed in his mailbox for a woman who no longer lived there. In fact, she no longer lived period. A quick search of her name turned up her obituary, published two years ago.
In an online discussion about this incident, another woman chimed in to say that she had received two ballots in the mail, one under her maiden name and a second under her married name.
Another friend shared an extremely distressing story about how their spouse, who is a legal resident but not a US citizen, received a ballot in the mail despite, knowing the law, never having attempted to register to vote. As they look into how this could have happened, so far, the most likely explanation appears to be an error at the Department of Motor Vehicles when this person renewed their driver’s license.
So, just here in a weekend’s worth of casual conversation we have examples of non-residents receiving live ballots, dead people receiving live ballots, some citizens receiving multiple live ballots, and non-citizens being allowed to register to vote (and at least in this case not even aware it’s happening) and being sent live ballots. As I write this article someone literally just called into WVMT’s Morning Drive to say they’d received someone else’ ballot in their mailbox. Delivered to the address on the envelope, but the addressee doesn’t live there.
Supporters of this chaos will say this is all just anecdotal. Yeah, but there are an awful lot of anecdotes out there! Emphasis on the word awful. So, is anyone in authority systematically looking into just how rampant these sorts of things are? No! Instead, we are constantly being gaslit that Vermont’s elections are not only just fine, they are the cleanest and most perfectest ever since going in on all mail all the time. This is observably false.
And it isn’t just dangerous to the integrity of our elections, which of course it is. If, for example, someone got hold of, fraudulently filled out, signed and plopped in a drop box my son’s Vermont ballot, and he votes legitimately in Washington, he could be in serious legal trouble for – as far as anyone in authority could tell – voting twice. That’s a felony. He could find himself in the undeserved position of having to defend himself from that charge, and what are the chances he could do so successfully? (Don’t worry, bud, I burned your ballot.)
If the ballot sent to that legal non-citizen resident who was erroneously registered to vote at the DMV were somehow cast in error or fraud, that poor person could be fined, spend time in prison, and/or face deportation and loss of legal residency status. So, yeah, serious consequences for real people as a result of this negligently insecure election system we have set up. Not just negligently insecure in how we send and cast ballots, but negligently insecure in how we register people to vote in the first place.
It is inexcusable that in Vermont we have zero tools to identify if and when these types of fraud occur, let alone the ability to trace them back to who perpetrated the crimes, and prosecute them.
Proponents of this sieve of a system argue that any level of responsibility placed on the voter for verifying who they are and that they are actually a resident of the place they’re attempting to vote is a form of disenfranchisement. But there are two ways I can disenfranchise you as a voter. One is to somehow stop you from casting your legitimate ballot. The other is to cancel out your legitimate vote by casting a fraudulent one. And with all these unclaimed, unwanted “live” ballots floating around our countryside, it is really, really, really easy to do the latter in Vermont, and it is virtually undetectable.
Other states that do all vote by mail at least have some form of voter ID requirement – signature check, or a requirement to provide a government ID number when submitting a ballot. Something! Vermont has nothing! The only “check” we have is, “Hey, this is Vermont. The clerks know everybody!” Well, clearly the clerks don’t always know when somebody moves, somebody dies, somebody gets married. That’s not their fault. They’re human. Our election laws should account for that, but they don’t. And that, IMHO, is totally unacceptable.
Rob Roper is a freelance writer who has been involved with Vermont politics and policy for over 20 years. This article reprinted with permission from Behind the Lines: Rob Roper on Vermont Politics, robertroper.substack.com
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Categories: Commentary
Sure, everyone says “Vote ’em out!”, and that’s all well and good. But when we say that, we imply that we trust the voter rolls and registrations. And that’s our mistake.
We “accept” that Vermont has gone “Full Dem/Lib/Prog”, but is Mr Roper merely showing us the tip of the iceberg? You can cheat your way into a full-blown veto-proof majority too, you know.
And as far as I can see, there is no reason, zero, to assume that cheating is not happening here. Instead of complaining that we’re just being overrun by lefties, maybe we should confirm that it’s all on the up and up.
A good place to start would be by auditing the ten “closest” state elections this time around. And depending on what’s found, move on as appropriate from there.
I’ve never been able to reconcile how fast our state has moved to the left. It’s fishy to me, you know? Maybe there’s a nefarious reason, but if not, it would be nice to have peace of mind and know where to focus going forward.
Whom controls the ballots controls the outcome.
Elections are no longer about votes, but ballots.
mr. condos along with baruth, balint followed DNC instructions to legally change elections for a generation. phil scott acquiesced in the covid corrupted 2020 session.
Ranked choice voting is sure to be up next, should the Marxist supermajority “win” Nov 5
Yes Robin, I also question many of the changes to our Vermont Election System, because they weren’t necessary for any practical reasons. The election system was working just fine and it was auditable. We also had local control of Town Voter Checklists by each Town Clerk.
We had an election system with a Ballot Chain of Custody, one Election Day and Paper Ballots that were counted at each town level by Town Citizens. The doors were locked when the polls closed and there were strict rules with no one in and no one out until all Ballot Counting was accomplished. Town Citizens took 2 to 3 hours to count the Ballots and all the numbers added up.
NOW, the State of Vermont has control of a Statewide Voter Checklist and they give non-governmental organizations access to it. Who knows what they are doing with it or to it? Vermont paid to belong to ERIC! WHY?
The State of Vermont also hires outside entities to handle the making and installation of the software for Vermont’s Computer Tabulating (Counting) Machines and also to make our Election Ballots and to mail out our Ballots.
It’s bad enough that ALL Ballots are mailed out in Vermont, but to mail them out 35-40 days ahead makes it much worse.
In addition: we have same day voting, same day registrations, early voting, Ballot drop boxes, Ballot harvesting, DMV Registrations, Ballots going to PO Boxes and the system is not auditable. All they do to “audit” is to run the same Ballots through the same Computer Tabulators.
Let’s remember: it was the Vermont Legislators that voting in the Laws to put together this confusing and corruptible system. My theory: The system was designed by cheaters for cheating. They gaslight us as they pretend it’s trustworthy.
Easy to understand why so many people do not trust the election system post 2020.
This cannot be true, because we have been assured by our “election officials” that our voting is secure, so that must mean they have done an audit of the voter rolls and cleared up any, and all discrepancies…………… correct ??
And why would any elected official want or allow a ” Non-Citizen ” to vote especially in a Presidential Election, as that’s already illegal, so maybe, just maybe that’s how they stay in power ??……………….
Mail in ballots by request only, on election day at the polls ID is needed, all other provisions are a reason for fraud, and that is what we have today !!
Remember when you vote, remember your new tax bill and what’s coming down the road.
Rob, you have addressed one of my many concerns about the upcoming election. This also coincides with my experiences attempting to assist with elections, and esp. counting ballots. I will not get into all of here, but I have documented it. One instance I witnessed was Voter: “I am new here so I may not be on the checklist yet”. BCA: “do you have a license with DMV?”. Voter: “Yes”. BCA: “well you will be on the checklist”. Bingo-yes he was.
Clearly, with the number of people whistleblowing the insecure and may I say… corrupt elections past and present… the simplest explanation is that this is intentional, and a …errrrrrrrr…conspiracy at the highest levels…and don’t think DC…think UN…shadow gov’t isn’t playing by our rules. THIS IS AN ILLUSION that we live in a society we have ANY say in or over… a LOT of mullah (filthy lucre) is being spent to make you THINK you have a say… but ya’don’t.
Its nigh onta’ virtue signalling to vote these days…but who are any of us trying to impress? The unimpressibles? The men in the gray hats behind the curtains that we are good little sycophants and mini-mes going along to get along?
Click click, glug glug, puff puff, push push… nothing to see here folks.
I know that from 2012 onward when I first queried the voting tabulators and was poo-poo’d and gaslighted and called a conspiracy theorist by then SOS Chris Winters, and his bo’boss (whom I liked initially) Condos (I queried FOIA for all the communications on the subject and saw how CW was told to gaslight the questions and requests by Dem leaders, and the SOS)… its been in the works for awhile to derail both our confidence in elections, and make it easier to “control” the elections as HRC recently said is needed (SHE was talking about social media but… come see come sah)…
What a rats nest and cluster**ck — we get what we accept…
I had this idea way back when I was reading science fiction in the late 60s that having a keyboard in our own homes that connected to a Great Voting machine in the sky would decorrupt our elections… boy was I wrong wrong wrong! Silly naive innocent me….
Correction: Assistant SOS CW
A candidate for Governor, Kevin Hoyt, has done extensive research for a few years and has proof. Do the head haunchos care?…NOPE!
#HOYT4VTGOVERNOR❤️
Just imagine the ballot chaos in Burlington’s transient college population.
I only got one extra this year, since they finally figured out one former resident left the state, over ten years ago.
Zero trust in the votes.
That’s what you get in Government DUMB, DUMMER, DUMBEST and ZOMBIES.
And patrician, as in Dem/Prog party. To win no matter what it takes.
When I ran two years ago for the Vermont House, in response to my expressed concerns about the integrity of our elections my opponent said, “Where’s the proof of election-outcome altering fraud?” The implication – without proof of widespread fraud, we don’t need to change the current system of universal mailing of ballots, unattended drop boxes, tabulator-counting (France does not use them and they have figured a way to count paper ballots, just as Vermont used to do so), no voter ID, etc. In fact there IS a reason to change the current system. The current system fosters suspicion of fraud. I suspect a considerable number of Vermonters do not have faith in the integrity of elections. Merely telling voters not to worry about it does not solve the perception problem. Vermont’s election system was not broken. This issue will not go away as long as there are any rational people left.
“They should have” blame somebody else for your mess ups, My daughter told me she got an early ballot for my grandson who moved into his own place over a year ago, so you say?? He also gat a ballot at his new place!!! An elderly lady friend said last year she got an absentee ballot, so you say, she didn’t request one, but not only that she got two absentee ballots!!! Yeah right our voting is totally secure here in Vermont!!
I hope folks who experience these things will take photos and document the issues.
Does anyone know the the Sec. of State can be petitioned by the people to purge the ballots?
Mike,
Will you please elaborate and explain what you are saying.
When I renewed my license recently I noticed some very small print on the online form. It instructed me to check a very small box if I DID NOT (emphasis mine) want to be registered to vote. So by not noticing or understanding, or with intent, non-citizens must be registering to vote. It’s not likely that names of new registrants are being checked against ICE data.
Remember……. after the ballots are counted, and “verified” by the town clerk…coming out of a Dominion machine count…..they still are transported to the Secretary of State over the INTERNET….which I’m sure, cannot be hacked!
It was very curious that just a few days before the last primary in August, the Vermont SOS released a video explaining how Vermont elections are fraud proof and that there are so many checks and balances and safeguards that it could never happen. Then, as soon as the primary had taken place, we find out that there were numerous glitches and problems with Vermont’s primary election. The timing of this video and the primary are highly suspect. How much confidence does that inspire in voters?
For an absolutely chilling look at the widespread rigging, cheating, and fraud being perpetrated on US voters, and of which our upcoming election is in grave danger, please take the time to listen to this mindblowing podcast. This is pure evil.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eric-metaxas-show/id991156680?i=1000671823670
Feel free to fast forward through all the commercials.
Indeed. Glitches aside. Even Progressive/Democrats should be asking themselves – in the primaries, how many votes were cast for Kamala Harris for President?
There are many ways to commit ‘fraud’. Some are as plain as the nose on our face.
We had a Trump Flag Wave in Barre City last Friday and we are having one this Friday. Barre City Flag Wave; Friday; October 11, 2024; 4:45 – 7:30 pm. Thank you.
Brian Judd
8 North St # 1
Barre, VT 05641
I hear toilet paper is running short due to panic buying – perhaps my mailed election ballot (I do not and did not consent to or request) will suffice in a pinch. A little rough on the skin, but it serves just the same of what they have done to our Bill of Rights and the Constitution of our Republic.
I have no incentive or valid reason to participate in fraudulent elections. Fooled me and robbed me of my vote in 2020 and 2022 due to fraud – never again until this belligerent occupation is removed and prosecuted.
Just watched Elon Musk speaking with Tucker Carlson. Two points made are profound.
First, the free enterprise competitive metric of producing a better product for a lower cost (e.g., Space X vs. Boeing) is treasonous to the bureaucratic state.
Second, voter verification vagaries are by design. Again, the problem isn’t whether or not election fraud occurs. It’s that voter fraud can’t be proven, one way or the other… by design.
The only hope we have for fair elections anywhere in the country let alone the state of Vermont is the election of Donald Trump and a Republican House and Senate that will take election security and fairness seriously.
1. One day voting – No early voting.
2. Paper Ballots only.
3. No mail in ballots.
4. Voter I.D.
5. You must be a citizen of the United States to vote.
6. Voter rolls must be purged of deceased voters, voters that moved and voters not eligible to vote yearly.
7. Mandatory recount to make sure there are not more votes than voters.
8. Severe penaltys for voter fraud. Mandatory fine and jail time.
Why is it the “We The People” have to prove there was fraud and not the other way around in that “They” have to prove they won? They cannot prove that they won that is why !
Exactly. In a free and fair election, the burden of proof is always on the winner: ” Read ’em and weep.”
They say Trump did not prove there was any fraud in the 2020 election. but they never proved there wasn’t.
Common sense, critical thinking, and reason are what tells us the Vermont Election System is corrupt! Those who live by FEELINGS can’t FEEL IT!
How about if your bank didn’t give you a way to balance and/or verify your bank account(s). What if the banks said, “Just give us your money and trust
the results to us! We will tell you what your bank account balances are.”
“You don’t need to understand the context or the process or see the evidence of the additions and subtractions. JUST BELIEVE THE NUMBERS WE GIVE YOU!”
Does this sound familiar?
Ballot, used in secrete voting. The problem is, it is no longer a secrete ballot when a second person opens up the mail in ballot and runs it in the machine.
Chain of custody cannot be tracked or verified is a violation. Machines open to the internet is a violation. Third party vendors controlling the records is a violation. Allowing non-citizens to vote is a violation. How many instances of fraud does it take to invalidate the entire selection process? Yet, not one these has not – therefore, we are in a belligerent occupation. No matter left or right politically – all citizens are being hosed on purpose and by design.
Re: “Chain of custody cannot be tracked or verified is a violation”
How true. The fact that ‘fraud’ can’t be proven, or disproven, given current election procedures IS the fraud.
Jay,
It CAN be proven, which is why Tina Peters (Mesa, Colorado) is being persecuted as she is. Also stay tuned to the Georgia Election Board’s subpeona of Fulton County’s 2020 election records. The evidence is there, but can it find the light of day?
The evidence, the affidavits, the whistleblowers, the prosecution of one perp in Connecticut is all public record. The fact those who are suppose to prosecute, suppose to protect election integrity are all criminals – they are not going to out their own criminality and lose their seats or jobs. Belligerent occupation. We are no better than Venezuala or Brazil – same playbook, same results.