This election, POGO can help ensure Florida voters that the democratic process is secure | Opinion

Florida is, and long has been, one of the most important swing states in our nation. Every four years, candidates, pollsters, politicos and other interested parties from across the country keep their fingers on the pulse of its voters to help them determine presidential election trends — for good reason. Florida has been a battleground since the ‘90s, jockeying between Republican and Democratic presidential candidates by small margins. No one can forget the historic 2000 election when George W. Bush beat Al Gore by just 537 votes.

Unsurprisingly, 2020 is no different for the Sunshine State. This presidential election is sure to be one of the most consequential of our lifetime. Right now, Florida is a tossup, making each and every vote crucial.

During most presidential elections, the majority of voters typically are concerned with candidates’ policies on healthcare, the economy, foreign policy and social programs. However, this year, people’s concerns are broader than just the issues. We are not just in the middle of a global health pandemic, but our election process is being undermined by the very people tasked with upholding it — government officials.

Rhetoric from the president himself is threatening the legitimacy of America’s democracy. He has outright challenged mail-in voting and the fairness of the election process. He is even promoting tactics that increase voter suppression and has not committed publicly to a peaceful transition of power if he loses. Just as concerning, foreign governments and malicious hackers are reportedly trying to meddle in our election — again. Recently in Florida, voters recently received threatening emails, trying to sway their votes.

As Americans, we all have the right to participate in a free and fair election process and cast a ballot for the leaders we believe will best represent us. Unfortunately, despite being a leading democracy, we are struggling to implement the practices that we promote and protect around the world. And given the stakes of the 2020 election, it is more important than ever that we uphold the right to vote for every citizen of legal age.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the politicization of this election, specifically at the federal level, could threaten the integrity of the election results. State and local election officials, including poll workers, volunteers and board of election officials, now are our last line of defense against the potential abuse of power.

Fortunately, a nonpartisan watchdog, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), is working in communities across the country to support local efforts to rid the election process of interference and to ensure all votes are counted. In an effort to encourage officials to report any suspicious or nefarious behaviors that potentially suppress votes, POGO created a dedicated website to report bad actions. We have a long history of exposing government corruption, and we pledge our commitment to protect a whistleblower’s identity and to investigate any leads.

Florida voters take pride in knowing that their votes can influence the trajectory of a presidential election. They take their civic duty seriously. When going to the polls to choose representatives, they expect them to uphold these duties, including preserving the democratic election process.

Fortunately, there are available resources, like POGO’s own hotline, to ensure every vote is counted.

Jake Laperruque is senior counsel at The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight. He oversees work on privacy, surveillance, and cybersecurity issues..

This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 11:14 AM.