Letter to the editor: A history of 'election integrity'

Regarding the editorial “Election officials focused on system integrity” (Sept. 18, TribLive): Perhaps Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein can explain what happened in the election of 2000. That year the ultra-conservative Rick Santorum won his Senate seat. On the same day, Al Gore “won” Pennsylvania from George W. Bush.

How, you may wonder? It’s because 300,000-plus votes were counted in Philadelphia for Gore. Those 300,000-plus so-called “voters” didn’t vote for Senate, House, mayor, city council, school board or the proverbial dog-catcher. Only Gore. Nonsense!

Or how about the election of 2016 when Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton by a narrow margin? Jill Stein got a recount started in Philly. But the Democrats in Philadelphia went to a Democratic judge and got the recount stopped. Why? It could only have helped Clinton. Maybe there was something to hide?

Or 2020, when it was announced on national TV that they were going to stop counting ballots at 10:30 p.m. in Philadelphia. The Republicans were sent home early. By morning Biden had “won.”

I don’t have any proof of course. Just well-reasoned suspicions. But I sure hope the process has improved.

Richard Krauland

East Franklin Township