Another reason for Cascadia to leave: Trump's war on voting
On Monday, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in a Mississippi case that could end the practice of counting ballots postmarked on election day but which arrive after that date. This would upend the long-established and popular system of vote-by-mail in Washington and Oregon.
The authoritarian wing of the Supreme Court, based on their questioning, seems poised to eliminate the practice. Donna Blankinship, in her newsletter Civics for Adults, has more on the history of voting by mail (it began during the US Civil War for soldiers at the front) and the potential impact of the Supreme Court ruling, which is expected this summer.
Trump hates mail-in voting, and this is simply another chapter in the Republican party's long campaign against increasing turnout and democracy in elections. They know that more people voting threatens their minority white Christian nationalist regime. And late-returned ballots – often from young or working-class voters – often trend progressive.
Seattle mayor Katie Wilson defeated incumbent Bruce Harrell because of late-arriving progressive ballots.
Trump and his authoritarian party want to eliminate vote by mail and are threatening to interfere in the mid-term elections because they know their policies are incredibly unpopular. Their flimsy argument against vote-by-mail – fraud – is a lie. Voter fraud is exceptionally rare: about 4 in every 10 million votes are fraudulent, the Brookings Institute reports. The Brennan Center for Justice points out that fewer USAmericans vote fraudulently than are struck by lightning each year.
Northwest Progressive Institute has more on the MAGA Supreme Court's attack on vote by mail in Cascadia. And legal scholar Rick Hasen calls the conservative federal court ruling that preceded the Supreme Court review "bonkers."
Numerous studies show that voting by mail substantially increases voter turnout. The practice was adopted in several states (including California) during the COVID-19 pandemic – and the immediate benefit was higher voter participation
Cascadia was an early leader on this.
Oregon was the first state to conduct a fully vote-by-mail election for a federal candidate in 1996. And Washington allowed counties to adopt vote-by-mail in 2005 and applied it statewide in 2011. People in Cascadia are proud to make it easier to participate in democracy.
As the Trump regime continues to ignores the constitution, weaponize the Dept of Justice against opponents, use the FCC to shut down critical news outlets, and works to destroy the democratic process, it's clear that Oregon and Washington need to consider future options if things continue to get worse.
We need to have conversations about plans for Cascadia's peaceful separation from the United States. If that's what it will take to restore democracy and respect for the rule of law and basic human rights, then Oregon and Washington should seriously consider a ballot referendum on separation in the 2028 general election.
Andrew Engelson
Thanks for reading. Remember: keep loving, and keep fighting. --Andrew
Do you appreciate Cascadia Journal's exclusive reporting on the ways the Pacific Northwest is pushing back against US fascism? If you have the means, please consider a paid subscription of just $5 per month. Each subscription helps me produce original reporting and opinionated notes on Cascadia's fight to build a more resilient and autonomous bioregion. And to those who already subscribe, thank you! --Andrew
