Election expert warns 2024 may be corrupted – but there's still an 'ultimate safeguard of American democracy'

A top elections law expert has issued a strong warning that the 2024 presidential election may not be conducted fairly, and wants "millions" of Americans to take to the streets "for peaceful protests."

Rick Hasen, a Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, in a 32-page draft paper, writes that because of many election workers and office holders, the 2020 election – despite Donald Trump's efforts – was carried out fairly, but America is facing a serious challenge and democracy could be the loser in 2024.

He writes, "the ultimate safeguard of American democracy during this period of democratic instability may be millions of people taking to the streets for peaceful protests to demand fair vote counting and adherence to the rule of law. In 2020, it was enough to avoid election subversion that some heroes stepped up to assure that elections ran smoothly, votes fairly counted, and a peaceful transition of power took place. Next time, a few heroes in the right places may be inadequate. I fear that only concerted, peaceful collective action against an attempt to subvert election results stands between American democracy and nascent authoritarianism."

Calling it an "unexpected moment of democratic peril in the United States," Hasen warns in the introduction/abstract: "Preserving and protecting American democracy from the risk of election subversion should be at the top of everyone's agenda. The time to act is now, before American democracy disappears."

Read the entire paper here, the abstract here.