Election SNAFUs

Welcome to the first digital edition of the Angle Examiner.

I have been involved in the election integrity battle for over 20 years as a researcher, as a national speaker, as the producer of a documentary, and even as a victim in a statewide race in Nevada. This interest leads to hours of reading, especially the latest developments in elections.  I came across an amazing quote from the Nevada Secretary of State in an article written by Sean Dowling on Nov. 26, 2024, entitled Governor Calls on Lawmakers to Speed Up Election Certification Process for KVVU-TV Las Vegas. Buried in the bowels of the article is a short paragraph meant to excuse the delays in counting the ballots, but it inadvertently revealed the truth.

“We are all determined to make improvements and suggest legislative steps to ensure our elections remain free and fair, with a focus on continuously improving the voter experience,” Secretary Aguilar said. But Aguilar admits there were some snafus that led to delayed results among a lot of first-time election officials.”

SNAFUS led to the delayed results? What is a SNAFU?, I asked my google dictionary. The term "SNAFU," an acronym that stands for "Situation Normal: All Fouled Up". Originally it was a more offensive expression. This military slang is attributed to the U.S. Army and cynical GIs ridiculing the army's penchant for acronyms during World War II. Soldiers highlighted the dysfunction and errors associated with military bureaucracy. The original more graphic meaning of SNAFU is "Situation Normal: All F***** Up."

The sentiment has become familiar in modern electoral systems describing expected chaos. Situation Normal! The Secretary of State expected the chaos of the 2024 election. WOW! Expected, anticipated, and allowed to happen. Situation Normal!

Recently elections across the United States have seen their share of SNAFUs. SNAFUs manifest in mail-in ballots arriving at the wrong addresses, littered on public streets, or voting machines causing confusion in tallying votes. The SNAFUs serve as a stark reminder of the need for continuous improvement within our election systems. The SNAFUs are more than just minor inconveniences. They can affect voter confidence and impact election outcomes.

It’s not just about ensuring that ballots are counted—it's also about fostering trust. Each SNAFU can cause voters to question the integrity of the process. Consequently, it’s crucial for election officials to address these issues head-on, not just in the weeks leading up to the election.

Interestingly, the term "SNAFU" isn't merely a descriptor for a problem but it is also a call to action. It symbolizes a situation that has reached a threshold—a moment where stakeholders must reevaluate how elections and the systems that support them are run. In addressing these SNAFUs, election officials and policymakers must demand robust training for poll workers, tighter deadlines for mail-in ballots, stronger laws like voter ID, and discarding flawed technologies.

SNAFU also serves as a rallying cry for those in charge of the electoral process to strive for improvement engendering the confidence of the voters they serve. The goal remains clear: to ensure that every vote counts and the system remains fair, honest, and transparent, or we will see SUSFU, an acronym for "Situation unchanged: still fouled up" which leads to FUBAR "Fouled Up Beyond All Repair." 

With the right leader, SNAFUs could become Situation Normal: All Fixed Up or even better, SNARE–Secure, Neutral, Accountable, Reliable, and Ethical. SNARE implies that any attempts to manipulate the system would be caught. SNARE expresses the core values of fair and honest elections where the process is protected from tampering (Secure), free from bias or manipulation (Neutral), ensured transparency and proper oversight (Accountable), begins and ends in a consistent, Constitutional time (Reliable), and trustworthy based on the integrity of the systems and the people elected to oversee them (Ethical).

If you are concerned about election SNAFUs, give me a follow on X to comment and like to show your support for Voter ID. Thank you!

Over 70% of Nevadans voted for Voter ID in 2024 we must do it again in 2026 for Voter ID to become the law. I am running for Secretary of State for Nevada 2026 because we need someone trusted to implement Voter ID in Nevada.

Every vote cast here in Nevada must be a legitimate vote. I am working across the state of Nevada so we can have accountable and secure elections. I'm uncovering information about Nevada elections and you can help me get the information out to others.

We should feel great about what happened in 2024 but if we don't do it again in 2026 it means nothing. You can help Sharron win in 2026 here!