“The law against voter intimidation doesn’t specify specific conduct that is illegal. It specifies that intimidating voters is illegal,” Morales-Doyle [director the Voting Rights Program at the Brennan Center for Justice] said. “And so really, whatever form it might take, if the result is that a person feels uncomfortable exercising their right to vote, then it violates the law against voter intimidation.”
Even if this wasn’t obviously reminiscent of the KKK, just seeing someone hiding their identity while pretending to be a government official is unquestionably enough to make someone feel intimidated and that it’s an unsafe place to vote.
xmunk@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
I disagree, masked people at a voting place carries an implicit threat of violence… this may be some dumb teenagers or it may be crazy sov cit folks… either way their presence absolutely could scare off people intending to vote.
People who are obscuring their identity are usually doing so to avoid notice or repercussions for their actions… I think it’s reasonable to expect people in a voting location to be clearly visible and recognizable.
Greg@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
I agree (in most cases). I’m arguing that these folks are more likely stupid than malicious.
xmunk@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
I’m uncertain, but it’s certainly quite possible these folks were trolling. My main point was that it’s not as much about what the folks in sheets intended as much as it’s about how they’re perceived. Elections are pretty important and people are pretty sensitive right now so even if these folks did it for the lulz they may have actually intimidated and suppressed some votes.