By Elizabeth Dallam Ayoub | April 30, 2024
The diabetic goes to give himself a shot of insulin, and his spouse asks, “Are you sure you measured correctly?” The diabetic responds, “It looks about like it should look.”
An astronaut, upon entering a rocket ship, recalls the Challenger explosion and asks, “Are you sure the O-rings have properly sealed all the joints?” The engineer replies, “We made a rough estimate. You should be okay.”
The new college graduate hears a job offer and asks, “The salary we spoke about, is that what you’re offering me?” The human resources director says, “Well, we’re offering roughly what we spoke about,” and ends the conversation.
A homeowner has prepaid to have hardwood flooring installed in his 12 foot by 14 foot sunroom. The installers arrive with enough tongue and groove cherry to cover 11 ½ feet by 12 feet.
You get the idea.
Why would we demand precision in each of those scenarios, but willingly accept a “rough estimate” in elections?
What is election integrity? Election integrity means many things, each of which must be done precisely:
Ensuring that those who are entitled to vote have the ability to register to vote, whether at the time of election they reside in the United States or overseas;
Ensuring that those who are registered to vote are given a ballot;
Ensuring that only those who are entitled to vote are registered to vote;
Ensuring that one and only one ballot is given to each registered voter;
Ensuring that somewhere in the process each ballot that is given can be ultimately traced to the person who voted the ballot;
Ensuring that each ballot that will be counted is received during the legal timeframe;
Ensuring that each individual given a ballot has voted their own ballot and that someone has neither influenced them nor voted for them;
Ensuring that every tabulator counts the ballots accurately;
Ensuring that every tabulator has no ability to change the results of the ballots that “sit” within the tabulating machine.
There are laws, constitutional amendments, and administrative procedures in most states which address each of those; and, most importantly, election integrity works to ensure that constitutions, laws, and administrative procedures are followed.
For when it comes to elections, Precision equals follow the laws and procedures and the constitution exactly. Rough estimate = failure, no matter how small, in any step of the process.
One way that individuals and groups ensure that elections are conducted with the precision required is by filing lawsuits. If an entity is not following the law (or constitutional or administrative procedures), election integrity groups are filing lawsuits.
This country is replete with stories about individuals who poured their hearts and souls into ensuring that every legal voter was not thwarted on the way to register to vote (the Civil Rights Movement) and was handed a ballot, Civil Rights Division | Statutes Enforced By The Voting Section (justice.gov) Civil Rights Division | Statutes Enforced By The Voting Section (justice.gov) This ensured election precision, ensured that those who had been disenfranchised from voting were no longer illegally thwarted from voting.
Evidence from across the country showed that minorities were prevented from voting. It was lawsuits and new laws and procedures which turned this travesty around. Score one for election precision.
Witnessing errors and discrepancies in the 2020 election which formed the basis for an election that was not performed precisely, concerned citizens are again pouring their hearts and souls into ensuring election precision.
In Pennsylvania the Republican National Committee filed lawsuit against the Commonwealth for failure to follow the procedures for processing mail-in ballots. Federal laws were enacted to require that mail-in ballots be both signed and dated. That’s the law; that’s the requirement to ensure election precision, that a legal voter voted the ballot in the time frame required. GOP Wins Big In ‘Crucial’ Pennsylvania Mail Voting Lawsuit | The Daily Wire
The Federal Appeals Court in that case found that Pennsylvania had not been following federal law in processing the ballots. Taking the stand for election precision, the Court wrote: “To cast a ballot that is valid and will be counted, all qualified voters must abide by certain requirements, just like those authorized to drive must obey the State’s traffic laws like everyone else.” Score another one for election precision.
In short, election integrity requires precision from start to finish. No rough estimates are acceptable. Many lawsuits across the country have been filed by individuals or groups asking the court for precision.
Michigan Fair Elections’ volunteers pour their hearts and souls into ensuring that you, the reader (if legally entitled to vote) are given the opportunity to cast a ballot and have it counted; so that you may continue to have your say in this Constitutional Republic established “of the people, for the people, and by the people.”
Volunteers at Michigan Fair Elections = Election Precisionists.
Elizabeth Dallam Ayoub serves on MFE’s Communications Team. She started her career working for an international company, transitioned into teaching French and Latin while her children were young, and then became a Michigan attorney.
Learn how We The People can win back and secure OUR Future.
Join us Thursday May 2nd, at 12 PM for
MFE's Coalition Task Force Meeting
To attend this meeting, use the Registration link below . It changes weekly.
After registering, you will receive an email with details on how to join the meeting.
Note: Representatives of the media are allowed in our meetings only with prior permission.
Important Notes and Disclaimers for Election Integrity Network National Working Groups and coalition calls
We operate under strict 501 (c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan guidelines. Please do not make any comments during the call or in the chat that are directly related to any campaign or candidate running for office or could be considered an endorsement or opposition of that candidate.
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We always welcome new participants but ask that all newcomers register with their own registration link. Please do not forward your personal link to another participant.
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This meeting is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or instruction to lobby on behalf of any issue or organization.
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Please support MFE's investigative research, honest journalism, and litigative actions to defend We the People's inalienable rights as protected in the U.S. Constitution. Donate today to assist our educational efforts to protect the principles of individual liberty in America.
Come Meet Special Guest Speaker, Attorney Dr. John C. Eastman.
“Lawfare in America: War on Election Integrity.
Stand Now or Forever Bow."
Before the 2020 election Attorney John Eastman was a nationally renowned professor of law and community service, dean of his law school, and expert in constitutional law. He had a Ph.D. in government and a doctorate in law from the University of Chicago Law School.
Then, Eastman defended President Donald Trump and became a target of progressive lawfare. Since then, he has been criminally indicted, de-banked, and recommended for disbarment.
Still, Eastman is undeterred and more convinced than ever that the rule of law and election integrity are under assault. Come meet the man. Hear his story. Learn what you can do to help restore integrity to Michigan's elections.
You are invited. Come meet special guest speaker, Dr. John C. Eastman.
“Lawfare in America: War on Election Integrity. Stand Now or Forever Bow.”
Thursday, May 9, 7:15 PM
Sponsored by Michigan Fair Elections
7:00 PM Doors Open
7:15 PM Meet and Greet
7:30 PM, Speaker John Eastman, “Lawfare in America and the War on Election Integrity. Stand Now or Forever Bow,”
Location: Grace Bible Church, 1000 S. Canal Rd., Lansing MI 48917
No charge. Donations welcomed. Email: contact@mifairelections.org
Mark Your Calendars!
Join us Saturday, May 11th for the Pure Integrity Michigan Elections
(PIME) monthly meeting.
This month's keynote speaker will be Jason Woolford, candidate for the House of Representative's 50th District. Jason, a retired Marine and now president of Mission Cry / Christian Resources International has become an established conservative leader and is running for office this November.
Jason will be discussing the importance of the evangelical vote in our coming elections as well as experiences he has had at the southern border.
Find out more about Jason at his website: https://jasonwoolford.com/meet-jason/
Also, as usual, get updates from the team on election legislation, upcoming events, ballot initiatives, fundraising, and on-going litigation.
It's a pot-luck, so come hungry and bring a dish to pass if you are so inclined.
Click the link below to see our schedule for upcoming speakers, including David Kallman from Kallman Legal Group, and Bill Whitbeck of MyFaithVotes.org.
Hope to see you there!
Mark your calendars to attend Election Integrity Network's outstanding national working groups. Consider also serving as liaison to report to MFE's Task Force Coalition on our Thursday meetings.
Citizen Research Project | Ned Jones, EIN
Every Tuesday at 6 p.m. (ET)
Election Technology | Jim Womack, NCEIT
Every 2nd and 4th Thursday at 4 p.m. (ET)
Introduction to Election Integrity Infrastructure | Kerri Toloczko and Ned Jones, EIN
Every 2nd and 4th Thursday at 7 p.m. (ET)
Vote By Mail / USPS | Ned Jones, EIN
Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 4 p.m. (ET)
Legislative Development | Kathleen Harms, TN
Every Wednesday at 2 p.m. (ET)
Voter Roll Maintenance | Willard Helander, EIN
Every Wednesday at 4 p.m. (ET)
Vulnerable Voters | Kerri Toloczko, EIN
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 4 p.m. (ET)
Every 1st Thursday at 7 p.m. (ET)
Election Audits | Mike Raisch
Every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 4 p.m. (ET)
Building Local Task Forces | Joshua Taylor
Every 2nd and 4th Thursday at 7 p.m. (ET)
Media Training | Kerri Toloczko
Every 1st Thursday at 7 p.m. (ET)
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the Michigan Fair Elections. Every article written by an MFE author is generated by the author or editor alone. Links embedded within the article, however, may have been generated by artificial intelligence.