What are your thoughts on early voting? (please do not reference political parties or candidates) (24 Viewers)

[Madmarsha]

As long as the people receiving the ballots make a good faith effort to submit their votes, their votes should be counted. Not their fault they received the ballots late.

I dunno if it works like that.

 

[SaintRob]

I'm not sure how "easy" is to cast fraudulent mail-in ballots - there are states like Oregon that have entirely mail-in ballot and don't have meaningful issues. This is something that thoughtful people have been working on a decades now and there isn't compelling evidence that it supports fraud. The person still has to be registered and the mailed-in ballot contains verifications and attestations that are checked against the rolls. But I don't disagree with you that internet voting is a whole pandora's box that we're just not ready for.

The biggest problem with exclusively in-person voting is that (1) some people have disabilities that keep them from being able to get there, and (2) some people just aren't around where their permanent residence is because they're away on military, service, or work duties. Some states have requirements that you prove the need for an absentee ballot and I'm okay with that - but also other states have what are demonstrably successful mail-in ballot programs.

I think where mail in ballot voting causes the perception of fraud, is not understanding the process of verification or the thought of unrequested, mass mail-out ballots.

 

[whiteshadowen]

I'm not sure how "easy" is to cast fraudulent mail-in ballots - there are states like Oregon that have entirely mail-in ballot and don't have meaningful issues. This is something that thoughtful people have been working on a decades now and there isn't compelling evidence that it supports fraud. The person still has to be registered and the mailed-in ballot contains verifications and attestations that are checked against the rolls. But I don't disagree with you that internet voting is a whole pandora's box that we're just not ready for.

The biggest problem with exclusively in-person voting is that (1) some people have disabilities that keep them from being able to get there, and (2) some people just aren't around where their permanent residence is because they're away on military, service, or work duties. Some states have requirements that you prove the need for an absentee ballot and I'm okay with that - but also other states have what are demonstrably successful mail-in ballot programs.

I certainly agree with the second point here. There are exceptions that should be made, with appropriate verifications. I just feel that our votes are too precious to our democracy for us not to safeguard them as much as we can.

 

[DaveXA]

I dunno if it works like that.

It doesn't, but it should IMHO. Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to cast a vote. If something outside their control prevents them from getting their vote in on time, provisions need to be made to allow those vote.

 

[DaveXA]

I certainly agree with the second point here. There are exceptions that should be made, with appropriate verifications. I just feel that our votes are too precious to our democracy for us not to safeguard them as much as we can.

And reasonable safeguards can be and are in place in states with mail-in voting. As pointed out, it's been done for many years with very few instances of fraud because of the verifications in place to cast those votes. I agree with you that all of our votes are important, and should be treated as such.

 

[CoolBrees]

I don't really know how you would fraudulently vote mail-in.

Here in Oregon, you are told the two day window your ballot will arrive in the mail and instructions if you don't get it. Haven't had that happen so I haven't had to try to replace one but the bar code for your original is deactivated and that ballot is no good.

They mail the ballot to your address you are registered to vote at (which you are automatically registered to vote and updated when you get a DL or state ID). The return envelope also has my name on it and the bar code. I sign that it is me under penalty of conviction and up to 5 years in prison.

I assume when my ballot is tallied, they scan the barcode, sees it matches and I am a register legal voter and count my vote.

There is no pile of ballots to pick up or a mass mailing to addresses without names and registration verification. It's all incredibly organized. Returning is just ans easy - either the mailman takes your ballot back, if you want, or you can drop it in a box that are in every fire station, police station and library (I like to drop mine in the box). No restrictions on which box you drop it in. The hardest part of finding a pen.

Even if you try to mail a dead relative's ballot (like 85% of our 350ish fraudulent ballots in over 20 years) they have been removed by their death certificate and the ballot flagged as ineligible, and forwarded for investigation.
Really, there isn't a way to cheat the system.

 

[Devildog]

I don't really know how you would fraudulently vote mail-in.

Here in Oregon, you are told the two day window your ballot will arrive in the mail and instructions if you don't get it. Haven't had that happen so I haven't had to try to replace one but the bar code for your original is deactivated and that ballot is no good.

They mail the ballot to your address you are registered to vote at (which you are automatically registered to vote and updated when you get a DL or state ID). The return envelope also has my name on it and the bar code. I sign that it is me under penalty of conviction and up to 5 years in prison.

I assume when my ballot is tallied, they scan the barcode, sees it matches and I am a register legal voter and count my vote.

There is no pile of ballots to pick up or a mass mailing to addresses without names and registration verification. It's all incredibly organized. Returning is just ans easy - either the mailman takes your ballot back, if you want, or you can drop it in a box that are in every fire station, police station and library (I like to drop mine in the box). No restrictions on which box you drop it in. The hardest part of finding a pen.

Even if you try to mail a dead relative's ballot (like 85% of our 350ish fraudulent ballots in over 20 years) they have been removed by their death certificate and the ballot flagged as ineligible, and forwarded for investigation.
Really, there isn't a way to cheat the system.

That's not what Facebook says!!!

 

[CoolBrees]

That's not what Facebook says!!!

Maybe Facebook lives in Mississippi or another in person only state?

 

[Zztop]

As long as the people receiving the ballots make a good faith effort to submit their votes, their votes should be counted. Not their fault they received the ballots late.

Ideally yes... I won't link the article, since it is a political site, but:
"Georgia’s highest court on Monday ruled that thousands of Cobb County voters who received their ballots late will not have their votes immediately counted if their ballots are received by officials after Election Day

The Georgia Supreme Court said that those ballots, which Cobb County officials admitted they failed to ship out on time, must be set aside pending further litigation if they aren’t returned by Tuesday at 7 p.m., the deadline under existing state law and the time polls close in the state."

 

[GeauxWhoDats]

Fraud is the secondary hesitation with mail-in ballots. Competency concerns with the US Postal Service should be the primary concern. Has anyone tried to mail anything over the last two years? It is a crap shoot if it arrives on time or even at all.

 

[antipop]

Fraud is the secondary hesitation with mail-in ballots. Competency concerns with the US Postal Service should be the primary concern. Has anyone tried to mail anything over the last two years? It is a crap shoot if it arrives on time or even at all.

my wife regularly mails stuff all over the US and even overseas....it's pretty rare that a package doesn't make it and most make it on time

 

[GeauxWhoDats]

my wife regularly mails stuff all over the US and even overseas....it's pretty rare that a package doesn't make it and most make it on time

In our area, they had to pick up the traditional outside mailbox (the blue boxes) because people were sticking sticks with double-sided tape in them, stirring it like a gumbo pot and pulling out all of the letters that looked like checks or anything that could have a check in it (ie cards) and leaving the rest on the ground. Personally my business had a 6 figure check "washed" and deposited in an ATM at 3:00 AM. I couldn't believe it but they actually found the person and she worked for the Post Office.

 

[Zztop]

Fraud is the secondary hesitation with mail-in ballots. Competency concerns with the US Postal Service should be the primary concern. Has anyone tried to mail anything over the last two years? It is a crap shoot if it arrives on time or even at all.

I've had issues with the USPS postmaster general (DeJoy) ever since he got appointed. He did a lot of 'reorganizing' aka closed smaller post offices and restructured/closed shipping/distribution centers etc all in an attempt to cut costs. Apparently the only way to oust him is through the USPS board of governors

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

In our area, they had to pick up the traditional outside mailbox (the blue boxes) because people were sticking sticks with double-sided tape in them, stirring it like a gumbo pot and pulling out all of the letters that looked like checks or anything that could have a check in it (ie cards) and leaving the rest on the ground. Personally my business had a 6 figure check "washed" and deposited in an ATM at 3:00 AM. I couldn't believe it but they actually found the person and she worked for the Post Office.

There was a big upswing in recent years of mail theft and doing exactly what you described. My CEO had a personal check stolen from a mailed envelope and forged to a new payee and a higher amount. And every mailbox in a given zip code uses the same key - so if you rob a mail carrier (or have a crooked one), you don't need a stick with tape. You just open all the mailboxes and sort through what you want.

 

[DaveXA]

Fraud is the secondary hesitation with mail-in ballots. Competency concerns with the US Postal Service should be the primary concern. Has anyone tried to mail anything over the last two years? It is a crap shoot if it arrives on time or even at all.

Anecdotal, yes, but I've had zero issues with mail service over the last 2 years. Maybe it depends on location or something, but here it hasn't been an issue at all and I use the post office multiple times per week.