Dave Reichert wants to place ballot boxes near shooting ranges

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert has clung to the idea that installing ballot drop boxes in churches, shooting ranges and gun stores could help ensure free and fair elections in November and to increase conservative voter turnout. Reichert apparently thinks that conservatives only leave the house to shoot or pray, and that Republicans need armed vigilantes to protect GOP votes from ballot gremlins or whatever.

Last February, Reichert told a Pierce County GOP endorsement meeting that he supported a plan by Washington State Republican Party Chairman Jim Walsh to purchase ballot drop boxes and place them “in places where conservative voters go.” Reichert presented his ideas for siting churches and weapons stores.

“Try stealing a ballot from a shooting range. How about a gun store? Places like that where we know we can protect our votes,” Reichert said in a video of the endorsement meeting.

Reichert made similar comments at at least five other campaign events, according to audio recordings obtained by The stranger as well as an article in The reflector. Reichert did not respond to a request for comment.

Reichert's rhetoric mostly seems like a ploy to drive out the most enraged members of his base in case they have the opportunity to shoot someone who was about to cast a ballot.

In the video, Reichert makes it seem like these ballot boxes would be official, but in a text message, Walsh said that was not his intention. He wants to create unofficial ballot drop boxes that the Washington state GOP or county parties would provide and maintain.

The plan seems unserious, unnecessary and cumbersome for several reasons. First of all, stealing ballots from official ballot boxes is very difficult. King County Elections Administrator Julie Wise described the boxes as “steel tanks” that can weigh up to 1,000 pounds, and they are bolted into the ground. cross section posted a great article about the ballot collection process that references another article about a time when an SUV hit a ballot box in Thurston County and didn't even manage to damage the thing. This article explains in more detail how a person can't even open boxes with crowbars. The ballot boxes proposed by the GOP would be smaller, “but sturdy.” Secure. Metal,” Walsh said.

Second, at least in King County, ballot boxes are already fairly accessible. According to Wise, about 90 percent of people live within three miles of a ballot box, and about 76 percent live within one mile. Nothing in state law prohibits the county from placing a ballot box near a gun range, but the office would like to understand the specific loophole it would fill, Wise said. A lot of data goes into decisions about where to place ballot boxes, and the county tries to place ballot boxes in places with low turnout to encourage people to vote. While King County Elections (KCE) has found a natural partner with libraries, government buildings, and transit centers, they have also installed boxes in Safeway parking lots. I think the Conservatives are still shopping.

Finally, ballot theft remains a stupid and improbable strategy to try to change the results of an election. The would-be thief could guess the politics of nearby neighborhoods, but he wouldn't know how voters voted unless he opened the ballots, and throwing out an entire box would risk throwing away ballots that the thief would likely want to count. And on the contrary, locating ballot boxes in areas with a high concentration of Republicans would only make it easier to target these ballots in the event of theft. Although I imagine Reichert assumes that no one would dare take a ballot from a box surrounded by gun owners, who would shoot or threaten to shoot potential ballot snatchers instead of calling the police?

Overall, Wise said the KCE does not recommend people submit their ballots to unofficial drop boxes. Pop-up boxes are legal, but if the organization collecting the ballots returns them late or loses them, then voters have very little recourse to ensure their ballot counts. In general, the electoral office recommends that citizens rely solely on their ballot.

Wise also encourages people to sign up to receive text messages and emails alerting them to the status of their vote.