The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its final decision for this Court Term last week and it was a bombshell. It was a landmark 6-3 ruling that bolstered the right of states to combat election fraud with statewide voting restrictions.
Activists on the left called this ruling an “assault” on democracy, but GOP Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich heralded the high court’s decision as a “boon to election integrity.”
At issue in this case were two Arizona laws, one prohibiting so-called ballot harvesting and the other requiring voters to cast ballots in their own precincts.
The Supreme Court determined that those rules are not discriminatory, racial or otherwise. Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority in declaring that these restrictions do not impose out-of-the ordinary burdens on voters.
On the other side of the debate, Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent that the majority sought to “Gut the Voting Rights Act by downplaying the prevalence of efforts to disenfranchise minorities.”
President Biden also decried such election laws, and declared that this “makes it more imperative to continue the fight for the For The People Act, and for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” both of which seek to put voting rights decisions into the hands of the federal government.
Justice Alito pointed out in his ruling that Arizona makes voting a simple and convenient process, including 30 days of early voting by mail or in person. Alito then said this, “Fraud can affect the outcome of an election, and fraudulent votes dilute the right of citizens to cast ballots that carry approximate weight.” He then added, “Fraud can also undermine public confidence in the fairness of elections and the perceived fairness of the announced outcome.” Alito reasoned that if the dissenting justices had prevailed, the move would eventually preclude states from enacting election laws as they see fit.
Arizona Attorney General Brnovich expressed his appreciation for the favorable ruling, saying that it would help “maintain confidence in the process.”
Folks, this shouldn’t even be a topic of discussion. I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority of the American people only want fair, secure and accurate elections. But a lot of reported actions from the 2020 election indicate strongly that massive voter fraud took place, from voting machines, illegal aliens, dead people, absentee ballots, to just plain cheating.
Many states are still investigating their election results, joining Arizona in making plans for forensic audits. Pennsylvania has just started a full forensic audit, with subpoenas awaiting those who refuse to comply, and the states of Georgia, New Hampshire, and Michigan are calling for the immediate implementation of forensic audits. Most of us just want the truth to prevail, which might keep us from ever having to go through something like this again.
Reece Gardner, a resident of Kinston, hosts “The Reece Gardner Hour” TV show and is the brother of the late Rick Gardner, a three-term Elizabeth City mayor.
