A Deep Dive into the 2024 Election

Prompt, decisive action is required to ensure we can examine election records to either reassure voters that the 2024 election results are accurate—or pinpoint trouble spots. We hope you will join us in doing everything we can to uphold these important safeguards. Trust in our election process has plummeted over the last decade. Even prior to this election, “Only 37% of Americans believe[d] the 2024 elections [would] be both ‘honest and open.’” 

A democracy cannot function when voters do not believe the election results year after year. Fortunately, this collapse of confidence has an antidote: public oversight and transparency. 

We extend to you a warm welcome, and invite you to join us immediately in this effort. Many in our community have been doing this work for twenty years. It is time to amplify this those concerns to create a transpartisan national movement for election reform and election transparency.

• We'll be starting a substack soon and hope you'll follow along!

There are legitimate anxieties about the 2024 election results. These misgivings center around events and patterns that occurred on or after election day, including: 

• Over 100 bomb threats that disrupted voting and may have impacted the chain of custody of ballots.
  • Although the bomb threats were not determined to be credible, the disruption to the process merits a full investigation, one that focuses on whether or not election results were impacted in any way.
• Known security breaches of voting machines.
• A hardwired password in all Dominion systems was released to the public. According to security expert Chris Klaus, it would be an easy way to win the swing states, all but North Carolina use Dominion Voting machines in some counties.
  • The hardwired password was known to the public and well-publicized, even appearing on t-shirts.
• Much higher drop-off rates on the Republican side than the Democratic side and also higher Republican drop-off rates than in previous election cycles.
• Three separate letters from security experts listing their worries and asking for hand recounts, or investigations..

The only meaningful way to calm public fears about these issues is to fully investigate each one and conduct transparent counts of ballots or digital ballot images in any jurisdiction where the public does not have full confidence in the results. That is the responsible and democratic action to take.  

SMART Elections and a small army of volunteers have been working non-stop for the last two and a half weeks. We are conducting:

• A comprehensive analysis of the drop off rates in approximately 15 states.  
• A high drop-off rate is when voters only vote at the top of the ticket, and not for other races, or not for all other races down ballot. 
• Our data has confirmed that on the Republican side there appears to be a much higher drop-off than on the Democratic side. 
• According to our current data (which we will release shortly)  the average drop-off rate on the Republican side in the swing states for Trump is 5.5%. On the Democratic side, Harris has an approximately -1.3% negative drop-off rate. Meaning on average she got less votes than the next down ballot race (usually the Senate race).  
• The drop-off rate can be impacted by many things:
  • Voters cross voting between parties (normal)
  • Voters choosing independent or 3rd party candidates (normal)
  • Voters uninterested in down ballot races (it happens)
  • Ballots, votes and/or voters being illegitimately added to totals (illegal)

Trustworthy and experienced sources have expressed deep concerns about the election.

• Free Speech For People, a leading anti-corruption organization 
  • Authored a letter signed by many election security experts warning that election software was stolen in several states across the country and widely disseminated after the 2020 election.
  • Called for hand recounts in at least four states in their letter.
• Security expert Stephen Spoonamore issued an urgent Duty to Warn letter to Vice President Harris expressing grave doubts about the authenticity of some vote totals. Mr. Spoonamore has since released an update, clarifying the language that he used, but continuing to raise concerns. Our own data is substantiating his report, and other data points are emerging that raise additional concerns.  
• Citizens Oversight Projects, and many leading election security advocates signed a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking for an investigation of the election. 

We need to examine actual election records in as many states as possible to fully investigate these concerns. In many states these documents are publicly accessible by law, but the reality is that county officials often resist sharing these records. It can require multiple requests and the delays can be lengthy.

Time is of the essence. 

The window to take action now is narrow. Court intervention will likely be necessary to expedite these records requests - an expensive but essential step to review key original source election records.

• Urgent Immediate Funding Required: 
  • $35,000 is needed to pay for public records requests, staffing, organizing costs, technology, and media support.
  • Another $35,000 is needed to cover short-term court and legal fees.
  • Total costs could ultimately be much higher. These funds must be raised by expanding public awareness about the legitimacy of this issue.
• Emergency Legal Support: Pro-bono attorneys needed immediately.

We're also hoping to connect with:

• Data Analysts: volunteers with data skills to download and analyze election data. As we get election records back from public records requests, there will be a lot to do.
• Research assistants to research legal deadlines and on the ground local incidents, such as bomb threats, or the internet connectivity at each polling place. 
• Email, social media, web design and organizational support to handle the huge influx of traffic and interest that we are experiencing.
• Fundraising gurus to help raise the resources to fully investigate these concerns.
• Media professionals, influencers and professionals to shift the Overton window.

We are currently examining data and records in about a dozen states that have unusual voting patterns or other suspect circumstances such as bomb threats.

We're one of the few organizations with the expertise, experience and credibility to do this work effectively. Our work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, and other major media outlets. We work with coalition partners across the political spectrum and are respected as being truly nonpartisan.

We will prepare a public report of irregularities that we find - or confirm with renewed confidence that the election was well-administered and fair in all areas. 

Our previous work exposed critical issues - like reporting to the public that 5,840 uncounted ballots in Georgia's 2020 election (nearly 50% of the margin of victory) were not counted prior to Georgia’s 2020 audit. We must act now to ensure issues like this aren't missed in 2024.

• Volunteer: Complete our volunteer response form.
• Donate: Any amount helps - we need to start legal proceedings in some states immediately.
• Share: Forward this to your friends, family, online or IRW communities, listservs, faith groups, social media contacts, local and national press and anyone else you believe might help.
• Time is of the essence. Without immediate action, critical evidence could be lost forever.

Protect your vote. Protect all the votes.

Warmly,

Lulu Friesdat

Co-Founder & Executive Director

SMART Elections