Let Us all Unite for Safe Elections: We Need To Face The Fact; We All Have Been Desensitized To Violence

By Hallandale Beach Mayor, Joy Cooper

July 18, 2024

This weekend the bell tolled for our America. We all have finally seen how far societal degeneracy and lack of civility has evolved. We have witnessed the attempted assassination of a former President and candidate for President. It was surreal. My prayers go out to President Trump, his family and our country. I still do not believe we all understand the ramifications of this event. This was not simply an act of violence. One individual perpetrating harm on another. Unlike the attempted assassination of Reagan in the name of love, it was an attack on our democratic system and election process. We will need to wait as the investigation continues.

We need to face the fact; we all have been desensitized to violence. Guns of war are readily available without checks and balances. We see murder and mayhem every day on the 24-hour news cycle and even online. This past year, we have even watched countries attack other countries in unprovoked acts of war.

In politics, we have also seen the erosion of the basic core knowledge and functions of every level of government. The control over who is in power versus why we even have a government has been lost. We should enjoy our rights as a free citizen in our democratic society, but violence is not a replacement to civil discourse. Democracy also takes work.

Over the past year, elections have reached epic proportions of sound bites, hateful rhetoric, misinformation, fear mongering and conspiracy theories. Or have they? It has happened in the past and sadly it continues. Propaganda versus facts. It is like facts truly do not matter. The nature of negative campaigning is not just on the national and state levels but is also prevalent on the local.

While we are all watching and formulating our reason to vote for one Presidential candidate or the other. Residents cannot lose sight of the fact that we have state, county and local races taking place next month. The primaries are also so important.

With the changes in election laws here in Florida everyone needs to make sure they are properly registered. If you want to vote by mail, you must request to do so every election now. It is no longer automatic. You should have received an application in the mail recently, to vote in the primary, you must be registered by July 22nd. If you have not registered in Broward, you can register online at: www.Browardvotes.com.

We have and will always have the safest elections. I have worked as a poll worker. When I turned eighteen and was able to vote, I worked the polls in our neighborhood. My mother was a judge of elections. There is never 100 percent accuracy. Electronic voting has made the system much better. Even with newer and modern systems there are mandatory recounts in every close race.

Back in the seventies, we had to do a manual machine and card count versus recorded cards. In Florida, there were punch cards. In the Presidential race between Bush and Gore the punch cards were manually recounted for days. The term “Chad” was coined when punch cards had not been fully pushed through the machine. Even in 2020, there were extensive audits that all proved there was not widespread fraud.

I know there has been a major issue about voter registration. If a person does not have an ID and proof, they are a resident and U.S. citizen they cannot register to vote. There will always be checks and balances.

President Biden and former President Trump have both agreed on many points after the tragic events of this past Saturday. We all need to unite in the common cause that our elections need to be free of violence.

As always, I am available for your questions, concerns and ideas to make our City even better. Email me at: joycooper@aol.com. Visit my website: www.mayorjoycooper.com. Or Call/Text me at: (954) 632-5700.