Letters to the Editor: Recall supporters, please don’t cry fraud if Newsom wins

To the editor: Nothing better illustrates the infantile mind-set of the current Republican Party than the comment, in your article on election fraud conspiracy theories, by Stephanie Suela, who is working to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. Because she has been working so hard at that effort, she said, she will question the results of the recall election if the governor isn’t recalled Sept. 14.

In other words, I am entitled to get whatever I want, and if I don’t, I’m being cheated. Her hard work is supposedly reason enough to override the will of millions of voters who elected Newsom and want him to continue as governor.

Democrats widely outnumber Republicans in California. That fact alone should put to rest any question about the election result if the recall effort fails.

Mark Reed, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Computers are appropriate technology for an enormous number of applications, but computers are inappropriate technology for elections.

The “gold standard” is hand-marked paper ballots, counted by hand at the precinct level on election day, with transparency to observers. Without this level of safety from hacking and without complete transparency, it’s no wonder there is so much skepticism about election results.

A group of election integrity and computer science experts have written a letter to the California secretary of state strongly recommending that after the recall election, she conduct a “risk-limiting audit” in every county, regardless of the outcome of the election. This is a hand count of a statistically significant percentage of the ballots to see if it agrees with the machine count.

This check is especially critical now, given the release of Dominion software to the public by a couple of attendees at the MyPillow guy’s recent conference.

We trust computers with our votes at democracy’s peril.

Sheila Bernard, Camarillo

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To the editor: According to your story, some activists have worked hard to make the recall election happen, and if it fails, to them it means the election was rigged.

I worked for Hillary Clinton, voted for her, did not know a soul who supported Donald Trump and was shocked when he won — yet somehow, nobody I knew ever suggested that somehow his victory wasn’t legal.

I’d like to suggest that the recall supporters — along with those who still think President Biden didn’t win in 2020 — wake up, grow up, stop whining and learn to live with the fact that they can’t always get what they want.

Judy Bass, Altadena