Far-Right Group Advocates for Polling Station Patrol Amid Election Conspiracy Theories

Amid the upcoming presidential election, conspiracy theorists and deniers are blaming immigrants for electoral system integrity issues, leading to advocacy for a far-right sheriff's group called the Constitutional Sheriffs to recruit citizens to patrol polling stations. The group believes it holds ultimate power in their county and is not answerable to federal or state authority, with a strong focus on immigration issues. Prominent figures such as Michael Flynn and Patrick Byrne are promoting election conspiracies and the influx of "15 million military-age men," urging sheriffs to form alliances with militias and prepare for potential irregular warfare. Despite lacking evidence, these claims about immigrants voting and the great replacement conspiracy continue to gain traction. These assertions are intensified by the escalating tensions at the US-Mexico border and the dissemination of misleading statistics by right-wing figures, leading to widespread concerns and false narratives about the 2020 election being stolen.

Key Takeaways

• Election deniers and conspiracists are advocating for far-right sheriff groups to recruit citizens to patrol polling stations and stop "illegal" immigrant voters, blaming immigrants for disrupting the election and promoting election fraud. This will likely impact the upcoming presidential election.
• Constitutional Sheriffs, a group of elected sheriffs who believe they hold ultimate power in their county and are not answerable to federal or state authority, are actively discussing how to build their own "posse" to control the expected influx of "illegal" immigrant voters.
• Prominent figures, including former president Donald Trump's disgraced national security adviser Michael Flynn and the former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, are driving the narrative around immigration and election fraud within the far-right Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA).
• Baseless claims concerning immigrants voting, conspiracies about "military-aged men" entering the US, and the widely debunked great replacement theory are gaining traction within mainstream right-wing circles, despite evidence showing statistically insignificant noncitizen voting in US elections.
• The far-right discourse continues to perpetuate unsupported claims about the 2020 election being stolen due to illegal alien votes, creating significant misinformation and amplifying suspicions about undocumented immigrants impacting election outcomes.

Analysis

The dissemination of misleading information by prominent figures and right-wing groups has intensified tensions at the US-Mexico border, promoting false narratives and concerns about the upcoming presidential election. Advocacy for far-right sheriff groups to recruit citizens to patrol polling stations, blaming immigrants for disrupting the election, is likely to impact voter intimidation and election integrity. This situation may lead to increased polarization and distrust in the electoral system. In the long term, it could impact immigrant communities, the credibility of the electoral process, and the stability of the country. The unsupported claims and conspiracies may also deepen divisions and amplify suspicions about undocumented immigrants impacting election outcomes.

Did You Know?

• Constitutional Sheriffs: The Constitutional Sheriffs is a group of elected sheriffs who assert ultimate power in their counties and believe they are not answerable to federal or state authority. They are actively discussing how to control the expected influx of "illegal" immigrant voters and are planning to build their own "posse" to patrol polling stations.
• Great Replacement Theory: The widely debunked great replacement theory is a conspiracy that claims there is a deliberate plot to replace white populations with non-white immigrants, leading to fears of cultural and demographic change. Despite lacking evidence, this theory is gaining traction within right-wing circles and creating significant misinformation about immigration's impact on election outcomes.
• Election Fraud Narratives and Immigration: Prominent figures such as Michael Flynn and Patrick Byrne are promoting baseless claims about immigrants voting and the influx of "15 million military-age men," driving the narrative around immigration and election fraud within far-right groups. These unsupported claims are perpetuating suspicions about undocumented immigrants influencing election outcomes.