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I received my official ballot in the mail a couple of weeks ago which enabled me to vote in the coming election.
All I had to do was darken in some little ovals with the designated writing instrument, sign in the appropriate spot, stick the ballot in the postage-paid envelope, and drop it in the mailbox.
That’s it.
Mail-in voting seems like the perfect solution for those who want to exercise their civic duty from the comfort of their couch and not be bothered with having to go to a polling place with other people around.
In my case, I would have had to go about ten blocks from my house to get to the school where the polling place is located. Ten blocks! That’s a little much don’t you think?
So, this mail-in voting thing has become very popular.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well … actually there are a few things that might be a problem.
The Signature Struggle
In their effort to make certain the ballot the county receives comes from the person whose name is on the ballot our county requires a signature. The voting crew is supposed to check that signature against the signature they have on file — in my case, a signature I likely scribbled on a form about 40 years ago.
Now that could be an issue.
My handwriting was never that great to begin with, but it’s deteriorated over the years. I rarely write my signature with a pen anymore. Instead, I sign some touch screen with the tip of my finger and the result is something that looks like an abstract art project.
But on my ballot, I have to sign with a pen. Then, when the county receives it, some poor clerk is supposed to compare that signature to the one they have on record. How in the world are they going to recognize it? I can barely recognize it myself!
If they can’t match my signature, they’ll toss my ballot, and there goes my voice in the election. If they do match my signature, I seriously have to question their signature-checking skills because my signature on that ballot sure doesn't resemble anything I wrote decades ago.
And another thing. If they accept my illegible scrawl, who knows what other illegible scrawls they’re accepting? This begs the question: Who is actually voting?
Back in the olden days, when you showed up at the polling place, they checked your ID. The legibility of your signature wasn’t that big of a deal.
The Privacy Problem
A lot of people don’t think about this problem but it’s important.
I know many of you live in quiet, peaceful homes where you're left alone to ponder your voting decisions.
But not everyone has that luxury.
Suppose someone in your home suffers from a severe case of TDS, Trump Derangement Syndrome, (yes, it’s a real thing). They might hover over you, making sure you vote the way they want you to vote. And if you don't, there could be unpleasant consequences for you.
I used to teach high school government classes, and one of the things I emphasized was the importance and blessing in our system of this thing called a secret ballot.
Back in those olden days again, after you checked in at the polling place, you were directed to a private booth where you would cast your vote with no one watching. No one!
It was completely confidential.
When you came out, you could say you voted however you wanted. No one would be able to check.
The People Who Don’t Want to Vote Problem
Then there are people who don’t understand the candidates or the issues or just don’t want to vote. In my county, their ballot still arrives at their address even if they never intend to vote. That means their ballot just sits there. And they’re willing to leave it sitting there or even throw it away.
What a waste, right? Why not fill it out for them? You could ask them to sign it after you filled it out—or better yet, just write one of those illegible scrawls yourself!
Or you could go around and collect ballots from those who don’t plan to vote and vote for them. You don’t need any ID to cast those ballots.
The “Oops, I Mailed It Too Late” Blues
Let’s say you’ve done your research, filled out your ballot, and it’s time to mail it. But you wait. Maybe you’re weighing your options, or maybe you just forget about it, and by the time you drop your ballot in the mail, the deadline has passed, and now, your vote is ignored.
Sorry. Your vote doesn’t count. Unless you live in some counties that don’t follow the law.
The “Oops, I Mailed It Too Early” Blues
As of today, the election is less than two weeks away. If I send my ballot in, suppose something happens after I put it in the mail that might change the way I would vote? You know, the October Surprise.
Can I change my vote?
No.
If you’re going to vote early by mail, please research the people and issues you will be voting on.
I know it’s difficult in our world today.
Politicians lie constantly, and when their lies are pointed out, they lie some more.
News Sources — TV, radio, newspapers, online outlets … lie to you constantly, and when their lies are pointed out, they tend to ignore the charges and keep lying.
And if you depend on the literature you receive in your mailbox, your email boxes, or on your front door, you probably will be inundated with slander and lies.
It’s a challenge to discover the truth today, but you need to try.
The “Ballot Harvesting” Thing
And then there's ballot harvesting.
Similar to voting for someone in your family or your acquaintances, ballot harvesting is usually a much more organized operation. Some ballot harvesters collect hundreds of ballots.
While it’s often intended to help those who have trouble returning their ballots (like the elderly or people in remote areas), it raises serious concerns.
It’s a very common practice in many parts of the country.
Harvesters collect ballots from people, sometimes threatening them if they don’t cooperate with the harvester.
Once the ballots are in the harvester’s hands, they can easily be tampered with. If the ballots are from an area the harvester knows does not support the candidates or issues they support, those ballots can magically disappear and never be counted. If the ballots aren’t filled out at all, the harvester can fill out the ballot anyway they want to and then drop it in a unsecured drop box. Even though it’s illegal, some harvesters are able to make a considerable amount of money for their work.
In some states, ballot harvesting is illegal. But in 26 states, it’s allowed.
I Voted
I dropped my ballot and my wife’s ballot in the mail at the post office. That means I officially voted in the 2024 election, even though it’s still two weeks away.
Now What?
It’s too late to change voting procedures for this election, but I encourage you to demand your state and local legislators bring back the precious SECRET BALLOT to the people, even if it means we’ll have to endure the “inconvenience” of going to a polling place on Election Day.
And I also encourage you to evaluate the sources of the “news” you listen to. Have your news sources lied to you in the past? If they did, did they apologize and promise to do better?
Or did they just keep on doing the same thing?
Don’t choose to listen to liars.
Before I go, I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.
“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)
Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today
To learn more about ballot harvesting, I would encourage you to read “Vote Harvesting: A Recipe for Intimidation, Coercion, and Election Fraud” a report by The Heritage Foundation.
“Michigan city officials allegedly engage in rampant voter fraud,“ by Cortney Weil, August 16, 2024.
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