Just a quick note here to show you just how absurdly petty these Republican motherfuckers have become when it comes to disqualifying anybody and everybody they can from voting. Because they’re fascists, because they don’t believe in democracy, because they — not Angie Nixon, JD Vance, you bastard— don’t deserve to live in the United States.
Did you know there are indeed people who are citizens of the US, who have never lived in the US, but yet are allowed to vote? It’s true! There aren’t a whole bunch of ‘em. But there are people who have American parents, guardians or spouses, yet were born abroad, or otherwise have never established full residence in the US. “Born and remaining abroad,” they are called. And in 38 states, those people are allowed to vote. (It should be 50. More precise regulations and explanations here.)
And Republicans are going after them, because they know that if a person has character and integrity, and if they have ever seen lands as exotic as “somewhere further than the Walmart two towns over,” they are much more likely to be Democrats than Republicans. Imagine if they live abroad, or worse, if they’ve always lived abroad!
Those people might not even be racist enough to cross the street if they see a Black person coming, or throw a full Karen if they have to press “1” for English!
There is a form called the Federal Post Card Application (FCPA), and if you are abroad — military, diplomatic, all other reasons — you have to fill it out to Vote From Abroad. The DNC has filed a lawsuit because the Trump regime quietly deleted a box on the FCPA — for “emergency” reasons! — meant to help American citizens who have never lived in the US exercise their rights.
What’s the emergency? Uh, well, if we’re being honest, it’s that “U.S. citizens born and remaining abroad are more likely to be Democrats than Republicans,” as the DNC explains. Also, as the RNC has explained, out loud, in lawsuits, where judges can hear them.
Nativist bigot parties gonna nativist bigot!
The DNC explains further in its lawsuit:
“In 2024, the Republican National Committee (RNC) began a state-by-state litigation campaign to invalidate state laws authorizing U.S. citizens born and remaining abroad to vote, based on purported conflicts with state constitutions. In these suits, the RNC specifically alleged that these so-called ‘never-resident voters overwhelmingly favor Democratic candidates,’” Democrats say.
They add, “Rather than attempt to earn their votes, the RNC targeted their fundamental rights.”
Earning votes the honest way hasn’t been a tool in Republicans’ toolbox for a long ass time.
Even though these born abroad/remain abroad voters pay taxes, Republicans just don’t think they should be able to have a voice, we guess because that voice doesn’t tend to support Nazis, white supremacists, and right-wing domestic terrorists.
The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) is supposed to be nonpartisan, but it’s administered by Secretary Whiskeydick’s Department of Defense, so if you’re curious which agency is licking the royal grundle with this one, you don’t have to wonder for long.
The lawsuit explains that after a bunch of RNC lawsuits about this very subject this summer, Major Whiskeydick’s department suddenly put on its panicking panties to declare that the FPCA “may confuse voters about . . . their eligibility to use [this] form to register.” Must fix it! But not by fixing it, giving more detailed information or telling people to check their state’s requirements. No, by deleting the selection entirely that says “I am a U.S. citizen living outside the country, and I have never lived in the United States.” Better to just make sure those people don’t even try voting!
At which point Christian Nationalist Russ Vought’s Christian Nationalist Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rubber-stamped the “emergency” change from DoD, for fascism purposes.
As we said, this is a very small group of people. But Republicans want to go after the rights of all citizens living abroad, because, you know exactly why, and they think this is a good way to get their foot in the door. Martha McDevitt-Pugh, the international chairperson of Democrats Abroad, told Democracy Docket that “I think it’s part of an all-out attack on voting that we’re seeing across the country. The goal of going after this group of voters is twofold. One is to just interfere with the right of U.S. citizens to vote. And that’s people who live and work and study abroad, U.S. citizens.” She added: “It’s also aimed to discourage and intimidate voters abroad and make them feel uncertain or confused or fearful about whether it’s okay to vote.”
And again: The people we’re talking about file and often have to pay taxes. We’ve heard about a country that started a Revolutionary War over the subject of taxation without representation.
But again, Republicans whine, these people always vote for Democrats, and that’s illegal and unfair!
In Michigan, the RNC argued that overseas voters “overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates” and that counting their ballots “disproportionally harms Republican candidates”. In Nevada, the RNC similarly alleged that “never resident” voters “overwhelmingly favor Democratic candidates.”
Just this week during oral arguments before the Nebraska Supreme Court, RNC goon lawyer JL Spray said the quiet part even louder, if that is possible.
“My vote is precious to me. It’s significant. I’m jealous about my vote. I don’t want anybody taking my vote away. I don’t want anybody adding people to dilute my vote. And that’s the attitude most voters should have.” […]
“I’m here because I’m qualified to vote. Why would I want people who aren’t qualified to dilute my choice for public office or a ballot question?”
He’s a jealous voter! He doesn’t want his vote getting “diluted” by anybody his mama and daddy told him he was superior to!
Spray admitted that he was all worked up about literal tens of voters, but he said that doesn’t matter:
“I know we’re talking about small numbers here. Potentially an albino unicorn of some kind,” Spray said. “But even one vote can make a difference. I think we all agree to that. I’ve certainly been to recounts where it’s been 32 votes, 80 votes. And so if you had 100 new voters who were all voting the same direction, it does make a difference.”
It’s that age-old Republican principle: One Landowning Klan-Hood-Wearing Christian Conservative Penis-Having American, One Vote, No Albino Unicorns Allowed.
You’ll note that Spray was at the Nebraska Supreme Court because lower courts told this shit to fuck off already.
If you are a US citizen living abroad, yes, you are allowed to vote, yes, even if you no longer have a US mailing address, yes, even if you’ve been gone a long time, yes, even if you’re retired and you ain’t comin’ back, and yes, you still have time before the midterms, even in states where you have to mail back your ballot. If you need help — or if you know anyone who lives abroad who you think might, and this includes anybody you know who has a kid studying abroad this semester — then hit up Vote From Abroad and/or their special page just for students.
They will hold your hand all the way through the process and make it easy.
Continue to be these white Republican fascist bigots’ worst nightmare, by exercising your goddamned rights.
[Democracy Docket / Democracy Docket / Democracy Docket / lawsuit]
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My MiL is an 81 year old white lady in Mississippi who was worried about being able to vote—we did check her registration and everything and made a plan. She was registered as a Republican her whole life—still is—because she didn’t really care and her husband was registered that way.
But she is completely vote blue no matter who and can’t wait. I told her I doubt they will see her coming.
She spends a lot of time watching MSNOW and muttering about trump and his ilk in words that I don’t know she’s ever said before.
Doesn't matter how much shit they throw at the fucking wall.
Not enough is going to stick to prevent the massive blue tsunami.
That being said: GET OUT AND VOTE!! AND TAKE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WITH YOU!