The Orange One is starting to sound a little desperate about his standing in the polls (ie, way behind Joe Biden). All his blabbering about mail-in ballot fraud is utterly unfounded. At least it is here in Colorado, where mail-in voting has been fully in place since 2013.
How it works here in Colorado:
I’m a registered Unaffiliated voter so both the Democratic and Republican ballots are mailed to me a month or so before the election. If I’m concerned that I’m not getting my ballot in a timely manner, I can check my file online to see if it has been mailed.
Of the two ballots I receive, I choose the one I want to use, check the appropriate candidates’ names, and seal it in the special enclosed envelope. (If I were to send in both, neither would be counted.) I sign the envelope and that signature can be checked against the one in my file.
I then drive to the nearest special ballot dropbox and that’s it. (Secure drive-by box set out on the edge of a large parking lot and lit brightly at night with solar-powered lights.) I could stamp it and send it in via US Mail but I think there’s far less chance of error, loss, or misdirection if I put it in the ballot box and eliminate the middle man. Also, I could deliver it directly to the county clerk’s office. Or I could go to a polling center and vote the old fashioned way. Or I could get an absentee ballot.
When my ballot is counted, I receive an email notification. Or I can check my online voting file anytime to see if it’s been counted.
The only downside in the system is that if I return my ballot too quickly, say several weeks before election day, something could happen to make me wish I’d voted differently. A candidate dies, a scandal is exposed, etc. But other than that, it’s a wonderful, easy, secure system. It makes it easy for people like me to vote. I’ve not forgotten years ago in other states having to stand in long lines to vote in person at the polls. I’ve always voted. Never missed an election. But it would be difficult for me to stand in long lines now.
I do question whether states that have never used mail-in ballots could implement a secure, smoothly operating system between now and November 3. But it’s a goal worth pursuing for subsequent elections. Meanwhile, they should take the greatest care to ensure absolute integrity in whatever system is currently in place.
There must be no question about Biden’s winning the election honestly. Trump will undoubtedly contest a losing result and may well put on quite a show of refusing to leave the White House. Imagine his own federal goon squads being assigned to remove him.
November 3. I can hardly wait. Make sure you are properly registered and vote. I firmly believe that defeating Trump is vital to the nation’s welfare.
I am counting down the days
Me too!
Colorado obviously has an excellent mail-in voting system! It’s a relief to hear how well it works. Down here in Missouri, demagoguery is in full swing. Thanks for a great post, Susan.
Well, the mail-in voting works nicely. I can’t say the same for Colorado politics in general. We have a really nasty Senate race in progress, with our Republican senator thought to be the most vulnerable one in the country.
trump is just trying to set up reasons to say the election was rigged come November 4.
Of course he is. And along with it, his excuse for not leaving the White House. They’ll have to drag him out kicking and tweeting.
johnthecook…Donald Trump had no business telling America or suggesting Election Day should be delayed! I do know the News Media reported MILLIONS of dollars (Stimulus Checks) were received by people via The US Mail that should not have gotten money that way. I got my “mail in ballot” via the US Mail. How many DEAD people got one in the mail because their death has gone unreported. People of dead parents or siblings still receive benefits via the US Mail because their deaths have not been reported. My point is Mail Fraud and Voting Fraud is REAL and will occur if not closely monitored and You don’t have to be affiliated with any particular Political party for this to occur. As we all know the “POPULAR” vote does NOT always win!
Deaths are reported to the proper local authorities and are a matter of public record. I’m not concerned at all that the federal government cannot keep track of that information in an efficient, timely matter. All ballots and voting are managed at the state level. The federal government’s mishandling of rushed benefit checks does not relate in any way to voting. Studies have shown there is very little voter fraud of any kind in the US. Trump’s claims are just another part of his desperate effort to discourage voting and ward off defeat on Nov. 3.