Anyone else wonder if controlling husbands oversaw their wives' votes?

[RandomNumbers]

(posted as a response on another thread but then occurred to me that I haven't seen this theory discussed here .... not that I see everything that gets posted )

One drawback of paper ballots (mail in or the ones you fill in at the polls) is that it is more likely that the husband knows how his wife votes.

A controlling husband could insist that she show her filled out ballot to him before she mails it.

A controlling husband could look over her shoulder when she is filling it out at the polling place. (He isn't supposed to but I'm going to bet that many election officials won't stop that unless it is too blatant).

I can't help but wonder if this contributed to the unexpected women's vote for TSF.

To be clear, I think paper ballots are the way to go - but we should at least consider whether spousal control of the vote is a real issue. (and yes, it could go both ways - but I'm sure like DV, much more prevalent in one direction than another.) One possible mitigation would be to counsel at-risk women to be prepared to use the assistive device (like have a bout of arthritis that morning or something). Since that is a little more like a traditional booth, it would be harder for the man to peek over her shoulder unless he was specifically authorized to assist her.


Thoughts?

[3catwoman3]

1. I think this is a very legitimate concern...

…and there was some discussion of it here earlier.

[RandomNumbers]

2. Yeah, I figured I might not be the first to think of it

But there are lots of posts throughout DU these days that draw attention to how women did not vote against Trump in the numbers expected and not sufficient to put Harris over the top. If those were honest votes it is indeed a bit surprising and concerning (in the way those posters are thinking); but if it is due to coercion, that is a much different concern to be addressed.

[2naSalit]

3. I've witnessed it...

In the past but I vote by mail now so I don't observe voting behavior anymore.

[PXR-5]

4. I worked my precinct in NC

and saw many husbands and wives go into the ballot machine together.
It is what it is.

[RandomNumbers]

5. If it is the traditional machine with a curtain, that should NOT be allowed.

But perhaps it depends on the state, or whether there are both parties represented in the election board at the polling place.

In PA, the only person that was allowed to go into the machine with the voter, was someone authorized to assist the voter. Of course we let them take their kids in with them - I don't think anyone ever questioned whether that was technically legal - but when I was working inside at my precinct, I never saw men go into the booth with their wives. It just didn't happen. I think if they started to, the machine inspector just gently directed them to the other machine ("sir, this machine is available for you" ), acting oblivious to any potential intent of the man.

We now have paper ballots and I realized that with the current setup, it is a lot more difficult to subtly prevent the man from seeing how his wife is voting.

[wendyb-NC]

10. I was a poll observer in NC

I worked several days at 2 early voting sites, then at my own precinct on Election Day.

There were many couples, that came in together. Most of them, when they received their ballots, proceeded to the next open "voting station", to fill out their ballot. For most, it didn't seem to matter if they were not right next to each other. Other couples, went to the same voting station and filled out their ballots at the same time. I wondered the same thing.

[frogstar0]

6. I worked as an election worker, and I think I saw this.

In one instance two couples came in and the guys seemed to make sure they were next to their wife’s as they filled out their ballots. We had overflow tables and chairs when the totally inadequate screened station were full. The woman may wanted to vote for donny anyway, but the boys seemed to make sure they were right next to them.

[Woodwizard]

7. I know women trump supporters

They do not need any coercion. Several in laws are maga. Another aquantence is so extreme she has flags on her truck and loves to go to cult rallies.

Mystery to me but whatever.

[RandomNumbers]

8. Yes, there is that faction. I'm questioning whether the "true Trumper women" faction

was augmented by some percent who didn't really want to vote for Trump but felt they needed to, in order to keep their husband happy.

[eppur_se_muova]

9. GOPers were against mail-in ballots before they were for them ... hmmmm ...

Perhaps they realized hubs could fill out both forms without even consulting wifey, then make her sign ? Or change it after she signed ?

One of my favorite movie lines is from The President's Analyst : "I was RIGHT ! I'm NOT paranoid ! They're all SPIES !"

It all seems like a conspiracy theory, until you start turning over rocks, and there's a sleazy GOP conspiracy under every one.