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By: Sydney Carroll
Obviously, during a pandemic, the thing that everyone is most excited about is standing in a line for up to several hours, surrounded by others potentially not wearing masks, just to simply complete a minute-long task. Doesn’t sound appealing to you? Well, if traditional voting doesn’t sound safe to you, you’re not wrong, and you’re also not alone. 58% of Americans have a significant concern regarding voting in-person this election. As such, many states have begun to advertise voting by mail for this November election as a safer and easier choice than voting in-person.
What is voting by mail?
Voting by mail takes place when “local election authorities send a ballot to the voter at the home address and the voter later sends it to electoral officials.” Afterward, ballots are sorted and verified for accuracy, and then counted in the national voting system. Across the country, state and local governments are attempting to make voting by mail more accessible, so that our turnout numbers for this election can stay high, despite the public health crisis.
How does this vary state by state?
While voting by mail is available in all 50 states, the process to vote by mail varies based on your region. There are two different variations of mail-in voting: universal vote by mail and absentee balloting. With a universal vote by mail, states mail ballots to all registered voters, regardless of attendance to in-person voting (however, it’s important to note that no person’s vote will be counted twice: mail-in ballots of those who have voted in person are immediately rejected). However, with absentee balloting, voters must request an absentee ballot basis as an excuse as to why they can’t vote in person, such as being sick or not being in the state on the day of the election. Not attending in-person voting due to the risk of COVID is also an excuse that can be submitted to receive an absentee ballot.
Is there a greater risk of voter fraud with mail-in voting?
Many members of the Republican party have expressed concerns about increased voter fraud with an influx of mail-in voting, with President Donald Trump going as far as to say that, “the fraud and abuse will be an embarrassment to our country.” As such, the Republican party has taken a firm stance on the US Post Office, even allowing the USPS to begin removing mailboxes outside of their locations in preparation for the election, therefore making it more difficult for many to vote. However, it’s important to remember that back in the 2016 election, pre-pandemic, nearly 25% of all votes (roughly 33 million) were absentee ballots. Voting by mail is not new - and we, therefore, have statistics regarding voter fraud in relation to mail-in voting. The rate of voting fraud in the US is between 0.00004% and 0.0009% - and that is VERY few votes. As well, Oregon has held postal elections since 2000, and in that time has only counted 14 votes that could be considered fraudulent - out of hundreds of millions.
Will this affect the results of our election?
Mail-in voting will affect the results of the election - but not in the way that you think. As voting by mail has become such a partisan issue, with Republicans decrying the methods for fear of fraud, and Democrats urging for more ballots to go out as to increase voter turnout, ultimately, your method of voting has become a political decision - as well as the choice to vote at all. As President Trump retains his view that the November election is guaranteed to be fraudulent, he has also maintained that he may refuse to leave office this November if voted out. In July, when FOX news’s Chris Wallace asked him if he would indeed refuse to leave office, he replied, “I have to see. Look, you — I have to see. No, I’m not going to just say yes. I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time, either.” As such, mail in-voting will certainly affect the outcome of the election - due to the fact that if there is any discrepancy in the results, our current president may stay put long after he's supposed to leave the office.
How can someone register to vote for mail?
First and foremost, figure out which system your state uses so that you can determine whether a ballot will be automatically sent to you. To find out which system your state uses, visit https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/absentee-early-voting. Afterward, follow the guidance on USA.gov’s absentee voting guide (https://www.usa.gov/absentee-voting) to request your ballot if necessary. Voting is your civic duty and a right that we Americans enjoy that so many others are stripped of. This November, in your state, local, and federal elections, take 10 minutes (whether in person or by mail) to cast your vote in an election that determines so much of our future. Voting is a privilege and, even in a pandemic, one that cannot and will not go forgotten.
Discussion Questions:
Is voting by mail the smartest choice of this election? How would you feel about voting in person?
Are concerns regarding mass voter fraud unfounded?
If you were a candidate this year, how would you encourage people to vote?
Why do you think certain states have universal mail-in voting, while some require an absentee ballot? Could this be politicized?
What does the current situation say about our political climate? Were the actions by the USPS ethical?
Further Reading/Sources:
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