Rewind: US Election Integrity is the worst in the developed world

US Election Integrity is the worst in the developed world

Bottom Line: As we’re wrapping up the most contested presidential election cycle since the 19th century, the fact remains we need vastly improved systems within the United States. It’s remarkable that we’re the world’s leading superpower complete with the greatest technology companies in the world, top medical advancements and crappy election systems which are often surpassed by undeveloped countries. No, really, It’s that bad. Long before we witnessed questionable election practices in several states this cycle, Harvard University’s Electoral Integrity Project studied election systems used around the world. Naturally the United States should be right near the top, right?

By now you’ve guessed that’s not the case...but still. How bad do you think it is in context? Here’s a little help. Harvard identified 38 countries which engage in democratic elections. Of them where do you think the United States ranks? If you said 37th you’d be correct. Yes, second worst. The United States ranks just below Vanuatu (gold star if you successfully locate it on a map) and just above Albania. That’s how awful our voting systems are in the United States. Our election systems are so inadequate Ghana’s run rings around us. I’m not kidding they’re several countries ahead. In the but wait there’s more category, the United States ranks 57th overall in election integrity. In other words, elections held in twenty countries were citizens lack freedom, have higher integrity than ours. I really wish I was making this up but it’s all too real.

And here’s my point. What we’ve witnessed is inexcusable and it should be intolerable. So many state and local governments have so woefully created election systems and protocols, prior to the pandemic, that several undeveloped countries have greater integrity in their elections than ours. As I’ve stated from the onset of the Trump team’s legal challenges. For me the outcome of the presidential race is a secondary consideration to the bigger issue of flawed systems which are corruptible and lack integrity. It’s unrealistic to think we can remain the world’s superpower and the beacon of freedom in the world if we’re running elections worse than every developed country in the world – which is the case. Every world superpower has fallen. Are we watching the beginning of our country’s demise right now? Any country which doesn’t have free and fair elections can’t expect to retain freedom and prosperity. The demands for change in states like Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Wisconsin shouldn’t end with the certification of the votes those states. It should just be the beginning of the end for every Sequoia voting system still active in the United States and every election official who has presided over elections which lack integrity across the country. Again, Harvard identified these failures over a year ago. Perhaps those who’d commit voter fraud did too?

Photo Credit: Getty Images


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