Let’s vote early and keep track of our ballots

Thanks to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for attempting to shed some light on the seemingly endless details surrounding voting in the upcoming election (“Naked Ballots Got You Confused? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Casting Your Ballot in AlleghenyCounty,” Oct. 11).

Voting in 2020 adds new complexities to what might have seemed to be a straightforward process. Instead of simply pulling the lever or pressing a few buttons, we must take care to use a complicated system involving “secrecy envelopes” to prevent voter fraud and protect voter privacy.

Allegheny County is up to the task, with County Council member Bethany Hallam leading campaigns to remind voters to avoid “naked ballots” and elections staff monitoring satellite locations for requesting and submitting mail-in ballots.

Fortunately, these efforts seem to be paying off. According

to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the number of mail-in ballot requests in Allegheny County is 10 times what it was in 2016. Proposed legislation (House Bill 2626) would allow for pre-canvassing of the ballots before the election.

We need our state representatives, senators, and Gov. Tom Wolf to support this legislation, just as we need our dedicated election workers to ensure that all votes are counted.

This is likely to be one of the most uncertain elections in recent memory. Many of us will be feeling powerless as we wait for the dust to settle, but we all can — and should — be sure to send our ballots in early, to track our mail-in ballots and to encourage our friends and family to vote.

HARRY HOCHHEISER Squirrel Hill