About the theory that giving food/water to on-line voters ...

[NanceGreggs]

… would ‘influence their votes’, I have a few questions.

How would one know who are the (R) voters and who are the (D) voters before providing them with snacks and beverages?

Why would anyone change their vote based on a bottle of water, knowing that their ballot is cast in secret and no one will ever know that they voted for the candidate their water-provider was against?

Ultimately, why would a political party advance such a theory unless they knew that their party’s voters are stupid enough to actually take such a bullshit theory seriously?

Go figure.

[Walleye]

1. That's it. Republicans think everybody is as stupid as they are

[NanceGreggs]

3. And that will be their ultimate undoing.

[Walleye]

6. I agree.

[samnsara]

2. seems the restrictions will influence them more...

[janterry]

5. when I lived in FL we were offered coffee

by our neighborhood association (not political/not partisan) and there was a fountain right there that we could access. We just moved a few years ago, for reference

TBH, all they have to do is fund a fountain - right? Or the volunteers who staff the voting booths could offer water if the line was long (that could be funded). Frankly, if the line is long the state SHOULD fund that.

There are alternatives -

[machoneman]

7. Easy answer: rural voters don't wait in long lines. Only urban voters who tend to be non-white.

it's a gamble, and not a bad one, that even if say 4 of 10 R voters get disenfranchised, one can bet that 6-7 of 10 D voters also disenfranchised. It's a number game which is why they have closed a ton of polling places in urban (read: black) areas yet opened up even more in many rural areas that vote 80%+ R.

They win, we lose even if their actions hurts some (smaller) number of R voters. Also, the ratio of voters to polling places, et al, is far lower in rural areas than say Atlanta and other large GA cities.

The new law about anyone being able to challenge another voter is especially pernicious as holding up the line, so to speak, while a challenge is checked out, has the same effect as limiting voting hours for those not served with a ballot in the meantime. And one can bet the R's will be paying folks to gum up the works in minority areas simply for that opportunity to minimze votes for D candidates. In fact, I can see no part of the law that prevents payment to folks for voter or ballot challenges inside the polling place.

Funny how that works to the R's advantage, eh?

[Atticus]

8. I think that party's voters understand that this is intended to PUNISH the voters in "lower

income" precincts and that totally justifies it as a "policy".

[Cairycat]

9. I wouldn't discount the cruelty factor

Pretty sure some Rethug proposals are just out of cruelty

[Captain Stern]

10. Why would online voters even need someone to bring them water?

They could just walk into their kitchen, and pour a cup.

I kid. I know what you meant.

[multigraincracker]

11. When the car is running fine

and you change the timing, expect some back fires.

Just saying.....

[gab13by13]

12. The people with masks on are Democrats.

[FlyingPiggy]

13. Exactly. How would you know what party they belonged to?

It is illegal to wear anything political within a certain distance of the polling place.

[tulipsandroses]

14. In some places they ban transportation to the polls, other places they welcome it

Its whatever helps them win. It is so damn obvious.

[IronLionZion]

15. GOP wants to discourage turnout in blue districts

knowing full well it sucks to stand in line for hours in crowded cities without even some water to drink. There are shorter lines in rural red districts.

[William Seger]

16. Simple deduction: If someone gives water to people waiting in line, they must have empathy

How could anyone who has empathy possibly be a Republican?

[Jon King]

17. This entire effort will backfire on Repugs...

With plenty of time to prepare do not underestimate the determination of voters to set new records for turnout. Stacy Abrams and other black and brown women organizers will work around all these things and continue the downward trend for Repugs in swing states.

[Arazi]

18. I believe the real reason for this is to get people to give up and leave the line

And go home.

It's a fact that Democratically leaning districts have had demonstrably poor voting systems - for generations. Long lines are expected ergo people have adapted by supplying drinks and snacks

This "rationale" that the Rs are pushing is bullshit and has nothing to do with "influence"

[KS Toronado]

19. Could something be added to HR-1 to address the issue of over long lines?

Asking for friends in Georgia....

[applegrove]

20. They know the precinct is more democratic if it is of colour in a greater

percentage. So they know who the people are voting for by precinct. Same way the Georgian GOP will undercount the need for voting machines in of colour voting precincts. Which is more important? So they know who will need the water and the sandwiches.

[NanceGreggs]

21. I understand why they're doing it.

The thing is that the 'logic' being used to mask the motive doesn't hold water. (ha, ha)

The logical question is: Whose vote would be changed over a bottle of water? If you were on line for eight hours on a hot day, would you change your vote from Biden to Trump because a nice stranger gave you a cold drink, and you think they might be a Republican?

Even if you could get away with offering cash to someone on line to vote (D) or (R), they know that no one will ever know how they voted anyway, so why not take the cash and cast your ballot the way you intended to in the first place?

But of course, dumbass Republican voters are hearing this ludicrous theory and saying, "Yeah, bribing people with water will 'buy' their vote - that makes total sense."