Clerk Reported Widespread Intimidation and Harassment

On June 8, 2022 a regularly scheduled administrative Commission meeting was held at 9:00am. The first comment was provided by the County Clerk who was asked to report on the previous day’s election activities. The Clerk reported working until very late the night prior, fulfilling her election duties.

The Clerk then proceeded to report widespread intimidation and harassment during the election against voters and poll workers alike. The claim shocked those in attendance. Somehow the public was hearing the claim for the first time in that moment.

The Clerk claimed cases of individuals trying to break down doors, yell out employees, and exclaim to other voters they shouldn’t use the voting machines. The Commission inquired whether the Sheriff had been called out to any of the shocking incidents alleged, to which the Clerk replied in the negative. The Clerk also reported walking several miles in the building the night prior. How could something so shocking have occurred? (referring to the claims of election interference, not the strenuous exercise)

Was Intimidation and Harassment Real or Imagined?

Sheriff candidates Marty Rivera and David Frazee were both contacted by the Estancia News to inquire about their knowledge of the Clerk’s shocking claim (once again, referring to the voter and poll worker harassment and intimidation). Neither of the candidates’ campaigns could corroborate the Clerk’s shocking claim.

Sheriff Rivera reported hearing there was some confusion caused by new State rules regarding primary elections, but nothing noteworthy or rising to the level of the crimes alleged by the Clerk. Candidate David Frazee reported watching polling locations for many hours on Tuesday without so much as a rumor of anything occurring outside of the ordinary. Both candidates seemed perplexed and shocked by the outrageous claims made by the Clerk.

Why was law enforcement never called about such alleged crimes, real or imagined? Why had poll watchers from opposing parties all remained silent about such potentially unconscionable behavior?

While the Commissioners did their best to proceed with the meeting agenda, the jarring claims lacking any evidence, had marred the opening of the meeting that beautiful morning. The thought of something as scandalous as hostilities towards innocent voters and civil servants lingered in the air.

Near the end of the meeting’s agenda, a discussion had been scheduled between members of the public and elected officials concerning the use of the scandal-prone “Dominion” voting machines. The Dominion machines threatened to overshadow all but the most contentious political races in the County this year. Members of the public have become increasingly concerned with the devices alleged to delay or change election results, and the scheduled discussion was intended to provide elected officials with the public feedback typically restrained by time limits placed on comments made by the public.

Vulnerable, Vote-Flipping Dominion Machines Less than Accurate

Election experts testified of Dominion machine vulnerabilities two weeks prior to the June 8th discussion. Those vulnerabilities were echoed a week ago by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CISA released an Industrial Controls Systems Advisory (ICSA) detailing vulnerabilities affecting versions of the Dominion Voting Systems.

In addition to the Dominion machine vulnerabilities causing concerns for members of the public who entrust them to accurately count their votes, the machines have been caught “flipping” votes from one candidate to another. Advocates for the machines claim the machines are helpful to those charged with conducting elections, but questions remain as to how exactly the machines are useful to that end. Perhaps accuracy is not one of the selling points for the machines. In that case, are Dominion voting machines able to be leveraged by election administrators to provide official election results faster than hand tallies?

Dominion Machines Appear to Delay Election Reporting

A point of contention during the June 8th discussion between elected officials and members of the public was that of the unacceptable delay in delivering official election results to the public. A comment was made earlier in the day by a member of the public about decades past when official election results were available the very same night of the election, even before the advent of “early voting”. The “automation” of elections has proven to be a sharp reversal of that once proud trend.

Despite the Secretary of State’s website indicating “100% reporting” of Torrance County’s election results, the Clerk insisted the results were “unofficial” since provisional ballots and write-in’s remained to be counted. This revelation seemed to confirm the notion that election machines did not exist to improve the speed and efficiency of official election reporting.

Dominion Machines Not Transparent to Public Scrutiny

There was a common theme in the discussion. The Dominion machines lacked transparency to public scrutiny. A visibly frazzled Clerk was unable to answer many of the questions posed by the public and Commissioners regarding voting machines and processes. Her struggle to articulate coherent responses to straightforward questions regarding election processes might be attributed to the fact the Dominion machines have assumed control of much of the election operation in recent years. The Skynet of elections has overshadowed the role of County Clerks and nearly obviated their utility entirely.

The machines are demonstrably prone to inaccuracies, produce delayed results, and exchange election transparency with total confusion. The machines’ singular strength, however, appears to be their propensity for replacing the role of elected Clerks who are answerable to the public.

Public Affirms its Support For the Clerk, but Not for the Machines

While the Clerk became increasingly defensive, the public affirmed their support for her, their elected official. The public expressed their lack of confidence in the unelected machines controlling local elections, though. The reassuring public reiterated their desire to return elections to the direct control of the Clerk, and away from the machines incapable of improving speed, accuracy, or transparency in elections. To the contrary, the machines seemed to harm public confidence in the elections.

What will Become of County Clerks?

At one point the Clerk assured those present options were available to voters who lacked confidence in the machines. As their elected official, she declared her ability to count their votes if they so desired. Voters need only follow one of the lesser-known processes the Clerk described to those attentively listening. Clerk Otero explained how voters could simply cast their ballot “in the back of the machine” or via a “provisional” ballot envelope deposited with the presiding judge.

Some members of the public appeared relieved to learn of the solution provided by the Clerk. Unfortunately, a number of those present in the audience complained of being denied the opportunity to follow either of the options described by the Clerk. They attested they were told by poll workers no such options existed. Does Dominion still allow such an option?

In an environment where Dominion Voting Systems has all but replaced the statutorily role of County Clerks, the question begs whether County Clerks will soon become a footnote in the history of automation. Will County Clerks join Blockbuster Video, or has automation finally crossed the line?

Voting Machines Set Up Elected Officials to Fail

The Clerk’s meandering responses and seemingly deteriorating comprehension of the questions gently pitched her way during the day’s discussion elicited sympathetic expressions of compassion by those in attendance. The object of the discussion was not to grill the Clerk with difficult questions, but rather to ascertain a collaborative path forward this election season while faced with serious challenges by the Dominion machines.

Clear answers to the straightforward questions posed during the discussion proved elusive. The Clerk did her best to answer questions about the cryptic operation of the Dominion machines, but the innocuous questions appeared to progressively tax her ability to respond.

At one point a member of the public attempted to console a confused Clerk Otero by asserting the Clerk had been set up to fail by the same machines she was saddled with using. The compassion felt by the Commissioners and County Attorney for the increasingly disoriented Clerk was evident. The County Attorney finally attempted a rescue of the Clerk’s performance by interrupting her mid-sentence to clarify for others present, on the Clerk’s behalf, what she actually intending to communicate. Onlookers displayed looks of bewilderment at the spectacle.

Notwithstanding the County Attorney’s noble attempt to assist the County Clerk, the prospect of resolving the matter at hand during the time allotted faded. The Clerk complained of an unresponsive Secretary of State’s office as well as complex election machines her employees could not operate independently without guidance from Dominion Voting Systems.

The Clerk was elected by the public to perform a job. Paradoxically, the machines purported to be tools of the Clerk seemed designed to undermine her ability to perform that job successfully.

Compassion Shown for Clerk

One could not help but wince at each attempted response from the Clerk. Only the most callous member of the public might have viewed the spectacle with anything other than compassion. Were it our loved one at the podium struggling to articulate cohesive responses to simple questions, we might have rushed to offer a compassionate embrace. How can we expect our elected Clerk to succeed when she is set up to fail?

At the Estancia News we affirm our support for both members of the public and elected officials who might struggle during moments of emotional duress. We firmly believe all individuals, public figures or not, deserve sympathy and support during such moments. Our thoughts are with the Clerk at this time, and we sincerely hope she recovers well from the challenges she faced this week.

All who were present during the day’s discussions seemed committed to rescuing a floundering Clerk whose shortcomings were likely owed to machines allegedly injecting delays, errors, and confusion into elections. Commissioners and members of the public expressed determination to restore the Clerk’s ability to manage elections independently and without the hindrance of the Dominion machines.

If anyone has information regarding actual voter or poll worker harassment or intimidation, please contact the Sheriff’s Department.