Donald Trump has lamented the fact he believes this election is rigged, but some of his supporters are misconstruing his words. An Iowa Trump supporter was arrested on Friday for voting for the Republican candidate twice, using the rationale the whole system is fixed according to Iowa Public Radio.
Trump’s most ardent supporters are with him through thick and thin, with some even pledging to monitor the polls for any suspicious activity. And some Trump loyalists want to make sure he gets into the White House so they’re voting for him twice. The only sticking point here is that it is illegal and in some ways is rigging in itself. Terri Rote was one of these loyal followers as she was arrested in Des Moines for voting on two separate early voting ballots. Two other people have also been accused of voting with a mail-in ballot and in person. Rote said she wasn’t planning on voting twice, it’s just that she committed voter fraud because she thinks the election is rigged. Not the soundest reasoning and Polk County Attorney John Sarcone said the county’s security for its polls are tight as a drum:
“I think in the 25-plus years that I’ve been doing this job, this maybe the third [time] we’ve had some irregularity that’s resulted in a criminal charge. People aren’t voting more than once. And if they do, or attempt to do it, they will get caught because there are safeguards in place….We want everybody to exercise their right to vote, but only once.”
Rigging an election is extremely rare and not as simple as Trump would have you believe. In fact, there have only been 31 fraudulent votes recorded in one billion votes cast, as reported by The Concourse. So the assertion the voting system is out to get him is a bit perplexing. Rote was released on bail, but if she is convicted of voter fraud she could face up to five years in prison.
(Via The Concourse & Iowa Public Radio)
