We need to take all reasonable actions to ensure the upcoming midterms are free and fair. The right seems intent on delegitimizing the upcoming midterm elections by casting doubt on them and interfering in the electoral process. We should expect the Trump Regime and its partisans to fight every step of the process to slow it down and cast doubt on its legitimacy. They will likely attempt to manipulate results and prevent the certification of results that don’t go their way.

The new playbook for them involves Trump’s favorite technique, the one he always accuses his opponents of, “lawfare”. Ironically this is not a new playbook but rather the same old one: Jim Crow 2.0, The Reboot. Jim Crow couldn’t outlaw black voters as much as it tried. Instead it made it so difficult and dangerous to vote that it effectively disenfranchised black voters in the South. De facto disenfranchisement was just as effective as real disenfranchisement and harder to pin down and fight.

We should expect that the right will make voting not illegal but difficult and in some cases clouded by potential violence. We should expect threats of violence along with outright attempts to stop the process at multiple points. They will make it difficult for all but the chosen party to vote.

We should also expect misinformation to be spread. Remember Trump’s regime operates and thrives in chaos. The more they muddy the waters, the more they can claim an illegitimate victory and delegitimize the democratic process. Remember these are people who stormed the capital in an attempted coup because they were convinced the vote was rigged, contrary to all facts. Trump is still repeating the lie that the 2020 election was illegitimate. He still has no proof. He is still only non peaceful transfer of power in our republic’s history. So harbor no doubts about who or what we are dealing with here.

Sadly, we should expect and be prepared for all forms of election interference and voter suppression. The right gutted the Voting Rights Act not because we no longer live is a racist America. They did so, so they could start a new campaign of the effective disenfranchisement large groups of voters that are not white Christian conservatives. Put another way, they can’t stop you from voting, but they can sure as hell can make it difficult for those they don’t want voting.

Expect this. Make a voting plan. Work the polls. Get involved in organized election protection. Help others to express their right to vote.

This type of voter suppression is what the Voting Rights Act was intended to protect us from. This is why they have gutted it. The rush by these former Confederate States to eliminate black seats and completely eliminate non-Republican seats from Congress is election rigging plain and simple. It is quite telling that the very states that were the home base of Jim Crow are pushing the similar tactics once again. They needed to be forced to play fair in the 1960’s. It has yet to be shown that this is still not necessary. I suspect from their recent panicked redistricting that they still do need to be watched and forced to obey the law.

At the end of the day, we must remember this: Trump and his co-conspirators don’t believe in free and fair elections. In fact, they don’t seem to want elections at all. The Republican Party has abandoned democracy for an authoritarian cult. Trump has tried to overthrow an election once. It is only reasonable to assume he will try yet again. It’s in his character. And past behavior is quite instructive what to expect.

We need to be ready. We need to take all necessary steps to ensure free and fair elections. Just because the Republican Party has given up on democracy doesn’t mean we should too.