Gifford is not any stranger to election integrity work, having spent a decade in California within the area earlier than shifting to Las Vegas in 2019. It was in California that she met Engelbrecht, the co-founder of True the Vote, who has been at on the forefront of spreading false narratives in regards to the 2020 and 2024 elections.
Engelbrecht and True the Vote have truly tried to disenfranchise voters by claiming that voter rolls are stuffed with bogus voter registrations. Engelbrecht’s rhetoric acquired an unprecedented increase within the wake of 2020, when Trump and different elected officers unfold the speculation that the election had been rigged in favor of Democrats. Hundreds of nationwide and native election denial teams have shaped, and plenty of of them have amassed enormous followings on social media platforms like Telegram.
Gifford remains to be in touch with Engelbrecht and has additionally taken half in some on-line conferences organized by the Election Integrity Network, the Mitchell-led group that has unfold the baseless narrative {that a} wave of unlawful immigrants will vote on this week’s election.
Engelbrecht, Mitchell, True the Vote and Election Integrity Network didn’t reply to WIRED’s request for remark.
On Thursday, Mitchell held the group’s final on-line assembly earlier than the election, to reiterate the conspiracy that giant numbers of unlawful immigrants will vote illegally on Tuesday.
The group has spent months selling its “Only Citizens Vote” marketing campaign, and through Thursday’s name, a recording of which WIRED reviewed, Mitchell as soon as once more urged his followers to be looking out for non-English audio system.
“It’s math, it is not racism,” Mitchell mentioned in response to criticism of his group concentrating on minority voters with indicators posted at polling locations warning voters that voting illegally may end in lengthy jail phrases.
The fixed drumbeat of election denial conspiracy theories over the previous 4 years has led to an elevated threat of violence, occurring even earlier than elections start. The election denial motion has merged with the far-right Constitutional Sheriffs group as leaders have mentioned they’re working with militias and sheriffs to be prepared to answer stories of voter fraud. In Arizona, the chief of a militia group who spoke to WIRED on situation of anonymity mentioned he was satisfied the one approach Trump would lose was if the election was rigged, one thing he believes is already taking place.
When requested if his group deliberate to take any motion forward of the election, he mentioned no, however added that if Harris was declared the winner, then “somebody, someplace, will take kinetic motion and when that occurs, issues will get very dangerous, very dangerous.” rapidly.”
But, if violence broke out, he says his group could be “able to defend itself and the Republic.”
Gifford says his work is extra about transparency slightly than partisanship. But when requested if she believes the 2020 election was stolen, she calmly admits that she does. When requested why, Gifford does not actually have a solution: “I don’t know. I simply do not know. It’s only a intestine feeling. I’m sorry. I’ve no proof.”
You can observe all of WIRED’s 2024 presidential election protection right here.
