ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Top election officials from six swing states gathered here Thursday for an all-day briefing with journalists to discuss their aspirations and anxieties about the Nov. 5 general election.
I came to listen and learned plenty. I had three questions:
These officials from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin had three answers for the first question – and their responses were clearly intertwined around the problem of rampant disinformation about American elections being spread by some politicians who appear on the ballots.
Lisa Marra, Arizona’s elections director, cited a lack of trust in the process, especially among uninformed voters exposed to that disinformation.
“The misinformation, disinformation, lack of trust in the system from people that just don't want to spend the time to learn all the ins and outs and check balances, safeguards and election,” Marra told me when I asked for her chief concern at the "Ballots and Battlegrounds" event sponsored by the nonpartisan group Keep Our Republic.
OPINION:Voter misinformation is a big problem. Election officials say it's getting worse.
Al Schmidt, Pennsylvania’s secretary of state, expressed frustration about voters “being exploited” by politicians seeking to "undermine confidence" in our........