Attacks on mail ballots should not deter voting

Democracy depends on confidence in the integrity of elections, a standard held sacred in this nation.

Democracy depends on confidence in the integrity of elections, a standard held sacred in this nation since its founding 244 years ago.

We are now facing, however, an assault to undermine that confidence, coming from the most unseemly source, the nation’s president. President Trump has repeatedly questioned the validity of mail-in ballots during a pandemic in which mailed ballots are going to be the preferred means for many to cast their votes.

Contrary to Trump’s claims, voting by mail has proven to be safe and secure in the five states that already use it broadly. In fact, voter fraud is so rare in the United States that analysis by the Brennan Institute for Justice found Americans were more likely to be struck by lightning than to commit voter fraud.

On Tuesday toward the end of the contentious debate between Trump and his Democrat opponent Joe Biden, the president launched into an extended argument against mail voting, claiming without evidence that it is ripe for fraud and suggesting mail ballots may be “manipulated.”

The contention and claims of disruption are occurring in Harrisburg, too, where the Republican controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s office are trading volleys on what’s needed to accurately manage the mail-in aspect of the election.

Republican legislators last week proposed a resolution to set up a Republican-majority state House panel to review the fall election. The resolution does not exclude reviewing processes before Nov. 3 — a situation which jeopardizes the systems counties are working hard to put in place to assure vote security.

“This is an unprecedented attack on non-partisan election administrators at a time when we should all be doing everything we can to instill confidence in our elections,” Wolf said in a statement.

Pennsylvanians have several options when it comes to voting: They can cast their ballot by mail; they can vote early by filling out a ballot at their county election office; and they can go to the polls on Election Day.

Requests for ballots will be honored up until seven days before the Nov. 3 election, but election officials are asking that voters request a ballot as soon as possible to expedite the process. Ballots started going out last week to those who had requested them.

Voters are reminded of the steps to use a mailed ballot properly:

• Make sure there is a secrecy envelope included because a mailed ballot not in a secrecy envelope, also known as a naked ballot, will not be counted.

• Fill out the ballot immediately and completely.

• Place your ballot in the secrecy envelope, then put the secrecy envelope into the official envelope.

• Be sure to sign the declaration or your ballot may not count.

• Mail your ballot so it arrives at the county elections office by Election Day.

For those who prefer not to use the mail, drop boxes are available at a number of locations throughout counties and ballots can be taken to county election officees. Voters who choose to drop off their ballots are not allowed to drop off ballots belonging to anyone else — a practice deemed illegal by state courts.

Counties have invested in extra manpower, dedicated space and technology such as “rapid letter openers” to expedite counting.

The system of voting in this nation has withstood challenges before, but it continues to succeed because of a national trust in our systems to protect the right to vote. Without that trust, the system will surely fail because citizens will choose not to participate.

Our democracy depends on participation, and participation demands confidence.

As citizens, we cannot allow ourselves to be deterred or denied this right by false charges. You have choices on how to cast your vote, and elections workers are striving to make every one of those choices protected and reliable.

Trust in an electoral system that has carried us forward, and vote by the method in which you feel safest and most secure. Attacking that system and walking away from your duty is how democracy fails. Give it your vote to succeed.