For the sake of concreteness, let’s take the Joe Biden registering to run in the 2024 Democratic Primary. He signs up and is asked for an election handle, aka username, screenname, whatever.

He tries “joe biden” but that is taken, as is “joebiden”… So yada yada yada, he settles on “joe4unions” or maybe something a professional would come with, but we’ll go with “joe4unions”.

Here’s the Crazy Idea: New election rule. Candidates may never claim to be their handle; the handle cannot claim to be the candidates.

The handle can link data, post anonymized stump speeches, name-drop (“jack kennedy was a friend of mine. and user4164, you’re no jack kennedy.”), whatever.

joe4unions can insist he will run the country just like Joe Biden, but he can’t say anything that, had joe4unions not really been Biden, could be considered fraud.

Chaos Online Primaries ensue to get the top 10 candidates. Remember, they actually had to register in person. There were eligibility checks . So it’s not open-internet signups, but it’s not far off. there could be admin-level policing (DNC) so all the Dean Brownings of PA can’t be lying out there.

Now online voting doesn’t exist (yet?) so I don’t have some kinks worked out. I hope no one was here for something well-thought out.

Now top 10 candidates chosen by Jan 2024 can now run the “normal” process.

What do you think? have fun hating my idea!