New York Times: “Nearly 160 million Americans voted in the 2020 elections, by far the most in history and a level of turnout not seen in over a century, representing an extraordinary milestone of civic engagement in a year marked by a devastating pandemic, record unemployment and political unrest. With all but three states having completed their final count, and next week’s deadline for final certification of the results approaching, the sheer volume of Americans who actually voted in November was eye-opening: 66.7 percent of the voting-eligible population, according to the U.S. Election Project, a nonpartisan website run by Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor who tracks county-level data. The shifts that led to this year’s surge in voting, in particular the broad expansion of voting options and the prolonged time period for casting ballots, could forever alter elections and political campaigns in America, providing a glimpse into the electoral future.”

“A backlash from the right could prevent that, however. In many ways, the increase in voting is what Mr. Trump and the Republican Party are now openly campaigning against in their futile bid to overturn his clear loss to President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. – whose popular vote lead grew to seven million on Friday. Republicans have portrayed the burgeoning voting ranks as nefarious and the expanded access to voting options as ripe for fraud – despite the fact that the record turnout provided them numerous victories down ballot. Though Mr. Trump and the party have not managed to prove a single claim of fraud in the courts – where they and their allies have lost or withdrawn dozens of cases — Republicans at the state level are vowing to enact a new round of voting restrictions to prevent what they claim – without evidence – is widespread fraud.”