Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?

[Improviso]

Seems to me, absentee ballots were originally meant for people that would not be in their voting area, out of the country, etc. during the actual voting day.

It seems to have morphed into something else entirely.

[jon-nyc]

I don’t love the idea of making them universal like WA has done but during a pandemic it makes sense.

[Improviso]

@jon-nyc said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

I don’t love the idea of making them universal like WA has done but during a pandemic it makes sense.

Ah... so masks work everywhere EXCEPT polling places. Is that it?

[jon-nyc]

No that’s not it at all.

[Doctor Phibes]

The point would be to reduce the risk as much as possible. Masks reduce risk, but staying away from crowds reduces it more.

Obviously, there's a risk of fraud, but there's a risk of fraud with absentee ballots, too.

[xenon]

My understanding on this:

• Mail-in ballots do have a higher risk of fraud

• That risk is acceptable enough to offer absentee ballots

• Overall observed incidence of fraud is very low

• Still - the risks need to be acknowledged and addressed

• There's zero chance there will be productive dialogue on this

[Loki]

I’d like an election result that was known right away. I would like votes to happen at the end of a campaign when all the “October surprises” have been addressed. I would like people to do their duty and show up at a polling place- pandemic be damned.

Otherwise why not just pick a party and that’s your vote and let the independents decide who wins. I suspect they are less interested in mail in.

[Axtremus]

@Loki said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

Otherwise why not just pick a party and that’s your vote and let the independents decide who wins. I suspect they are less interested in mail in.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/310586/americans-favor-voting-mail-option-november.aspx

“Most Americans Favor Voting by Mail as Option in November”

68% of Independents support voting by mail.
It’s the Republicans who dislike voting by mail, only 40% of them support it.

This is not even hard to look up.

[Loki]

@Axtremus said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

@Loki said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

Otherwise why not just pick a party and that’s your vote and let the independents decide who wins. I suspect they are less interested in mail in.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/310586/americans-favor-voting-mail-option-november.aspx

“Most Americans Favor Voting by Mail as Option in November”

68% of Independents support voting by mail.
It’s the Republicans who dislike voting by mail, only 40% of them support it.

This is not even hard to look up.

Okay but it wasn’t even my major point.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Loki said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

I’d like an election result that was known right away. I would like people to do their duty and show up at a polling place- pandemic be damned.

They make allowances for the elderly and infirm. Why not extend this to include other at-risk groups?

[Copper]

Obviously the democrats think the abuse will favor them.

And the republicans seem to agree.

[Jolly]

For a absentee voting, you show up at the courthouse or designated spot with ID in hand. You are checked against the voter rolls.

Then you are allowed to vote.

[taiwan_girl]

@Jolly said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

For a absentee voting, you show up at the courthouse or designated spot with ID in hand. You are checked against the voter rolls.

Then you are allowed to vote.

I am not sure about that. I have voted in US elections when overseas and never had to show in person.

[jon-nyc]

@Jolly

Here you apply by mail. It’s conceivable that they check my signature but I don’t know.

[Rainman]

@jon-nyc
Oregon is all vote by mail.
I suppose the checking of the signature is uneven.
We found out that my daughter's ballot was not counted, as the election official (white-haired lady at a table, as seen on TV) decided her signature was not her's, the ballot was returned to my daughter via the return address which I doubt most people even bother to fill out.

I suppose there could be some mischief that could take place, as I don't trust any old ladies, especially if white haired.

[89th]

@xenon said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

My understanding on this:

• Mail-in ballots do have a higher risk of fraud

• That risk is acceptable enough to offer absentee ballots

• Overall observed incidence of fraud is very low

• Still - the risks need to be acknowledged and addressed

• There's zero chance there will be productive dialogue on this

Good summary.

Also, I’m surprised we haven’t ventured into online voting yet. Maybe that’d be a bad thing...

[Copper]

@89th said in Why are absentee ballots OK and mail in ballots not OK?:

Also, I’m surprised we haven’t ventured into online voting yet. Maybe that’d be a bad thing...

Abuse, fraud and corruption would be much easier.

But what matters is if one side or the other sees an advantage in the fraud.