Letter to Editor: Is voting in person more or less fraud-prone than absentee voting?

2 thoughts on “Letter to Editor: Is voting in person more or less fraud-prone than absentee voting?”

1. Tom, In Michigan prior to the Secretary of State mailing out absentee ballot applications to everyone who was on the State Qualified Voter file, the instances of absentee voter fraud was minimal if the local clerks did their job correctly. In the past, one would apply for an absentee ballot application through the local clerk’s office and the clerk at that point made sure the application was then sent or given to the registered voter in that jurisdiction. That system worked very well and was as fraud proof as someone could devise. But because the State does not purge their files on a timely basis, Applications were mailed out to people who have moved or sometimes died.
   But the argument always gets confused because there is a large difference between voting absentee through the application process and actually mailing out ballots in blanket form without a voter making an application thus not allowing the local clerk to verify the identity of the voter. In that case there is no way to know who is filling out the ballot. That could be voter fraud.
   The current system has worked very well with the proper checks and balances, but for some reason , perhaps for a perceived political advantage, someone always want to manipulate the system. It’s so easy to do it the right way but apparently that is never enough.

2. James:

   I understand and share your concern about the sanctity of our election process, from registering to vote to casting and tabulating a ballot.

   I’m not sure how a registered voter’s receiving, executing and returning an unsolicited ballot application can lead to an increase in fraudulent ballots, beyond the statistical likelihood of fraud. Here’s my understanding:

   How do I get a BALLOT in the mail?
   A registered voter has to request an absentee ballot using the proper application form.

   Does where I got the application form make a difference to the fraud prevention process?
   No. It makes no difference if I get the application from the hand of the election official. (in my case the township clerk) or if I requested it over the phone and received it in the mail, as I did in my case, or if I were to download the document from the secretary of state’s office website or if I picked one up at the senior center or if they were being handed out at Polly’s or if the Secretary of State mailed one to me, or if my election official mails one out to me before every election.

   If I “check the box” in section 2 of the application, I will receive a ballot request form for all subsequent elections. Here’s the wording next to the check box: I want to vote absentee in all future elections. Automatically send me an APPLICATION for every election.
   (Emphasis added)

   What’s next?
   • I must complete and sign the ballot request form.

   • I must return the form to my election official.

   • The form is validated against my signature and address on the rolls, each time I submit an application.

   • I receive a ballot in the mail ONLY after the application form has been validated.

   Other than an increase in volume, I don’t see any difference in the absentee ballot process here in Michigan. Have I overlooked something?

   Regards,

   Tom

Comments are closed.