Trump Calls for Protests Amid Reports of Voting Issues: 'Sound Familiar?'

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Former President Donald Trump is encouraging protests in states including Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan through his Truth Social media platform.

"Another big voter tabulation problem in Arizona," Trump wrote in one of numerous posts. "Sound familiar???"

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He is referring to acknowledged malfunctions of tabulator machines in Maricopa County, home to Arizona's capital of Phoenix. Trump said the situation in that county "looks like a complete voter integrity DISASTER."

Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake previously accused the county elections department of counting thousands of mail-in ballots after Election Day in 2020, which the department has refuted.

"They are now saying that about 20% of the so-called Voting Machines in Maricopa County are not counting the Votes that have been placed in the Machine," Trump wrote in another post. "Only Republican areas? WOW! Kari Lake, Blake Masters, and all others are being greatly harmed by this disaster. Can't let this happen, AGAIN!!!"

He said Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich "has a chance to be the biggest hero of them all" and can "save our Country from this Cancer from within!!!"

"People of Arizona: Don't get out of line until you cast your vote," Trump wrote in another post. "They are trying to steal the election with bad Machines and DELAY. Don't let it happen!"

Donald Trump Midterm Elections Protest Arizona Detroit
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media while departing a polling station after voting in the U.S. midterm elections at Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 8. Trump... MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images

Trump continued to lambast the voting process, calling it "outrageous" that all Pennsylvania votes may not be fully counted by night's end.

NBC News reported that the Philadelphia elections board voted 2-1 at a city commissioners meeting around 7 a.m. Tuesday to implement a time-consuming process to prevent the counting of double votes. The move stems from a recent Republican lawsuit.

"I want to make it very clear that when there are conversations that occur later this evening about whether or not Philadelphia has counted all of their ballots, that the reasons some ballots will not be counted is because Republican attorneys targeted Philadelphia, and only Philadelphia, in trying to force us to do a procedure that no other county does," Seth Bluestein, the only Republican commissioner, said to NBC News.

Trump also called out the absentee voter situation in Detroit as "REALLY BAD."

Detroit was a hot spot for recounts and election denialism following the 2020 election.

"People are showing up to Vote only to be told, 'sorry, you have already voted,'" Trump wrote. "This is happening in large numbers, elsewhere as well. Protest, Protest, Protest!"

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson took a screenshot of Trump's post and tweeted it.

"Hi again. This isn't true," Benson tweeted. "Please don't spread lies to foment or encourage political violence in our state. Or anywhere. Thanks."

The Maricopa County Elections Department tweeted Monday night about the election process, saying it anticipated "false election narratives to spread in the coming days."

Today, at about 11:40 a.m. local time, the department tweeted that "voters who have already checked in, but want to cast a ballot at another site" can check in with a poll worker and then vote at any location.

Arizona GOP Chairwoman Kelly Ward tweeted, "PSA: Hey, Maricopa County voters! Go vote in a Democrat stronghold. The machines and ballots seem to be fine there."

The Nevada secretary of state's office has also tweeted that I.T. is working on its website, which was unavailable to users.

About the writer

Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek investigative reporter based in Michigan. His focus includes U.S. and international politics and policies, immigration, crime and social issues. Other reporting has covered education, economics, and wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Nick joined Newsweek in 2021 from The Oakland Press, and his reporting has been featured in The Detroit News and other publications. His reporting on the opioid epidemic garnered a statewide Michigan Press Association award. The Michigan State University graduate can be reached at n.mordowanec@newsweek.com.


Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek investigative reporter based in Michigan. His focus includes U.S. and international politics and policies, immigration, ... Read more