FACTS ABOUT
MAIL-IN VOTING
Mail-in ballots and absentee ballots have been the subject of misinformation this year - we've gathered the facts.
Is Mail-In Voting Secure?
Mail-in voting has been a part of American democracy since the Civil War, when soldiers were given the opportunity to mail ballots home from the battlefield. Today, all fifty states allow at least some form of mail-in voting.
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Policies vary widely from state to state; some states operate a universal mail-in voting program, others send applications to all registered voters, and some require an excuse or reason to vote absentee.
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Security measures are also different in every state. Some require a witness signature to verify the ballot was filled out by the proper person, some require voter pin numbers, and others use signature matching for verification.
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Until this election season, voting by mail was embraced by both parties and effectively overseen on a non-partisan basis by election experts on the ground. Until this election season, Americans had full faith in the process.
Are Ballot Drop Boxes Safe?
Ballot drop boxes are a secure and convenient option for voters to return their mail ballot in most states. A drop box is a secure, locked structure operated by election officials where voters may directly return their ballots by hand from the time they receive them in the mail up to the time polls close on Election Day.
Ballot drop boxes can be staffed or unstaffed. Unstaffed drop boxes are typically available 24 hours a day and permanently anchored in place. Staffed drop boxes are typically available during regular business hours and are monitored by trained workers during those hours. Ideally, they should be monitored via camera during off-hours.
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In Colorado, where voting by mail or by drop box has long been the norm, nearly 75% of all voters in the 2016 general election cast their vote via drop box.
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Until this election season, ballot drop boxes were considered an effective solution supported by both parties.
SOURCES.
The above information comes directly from the following trusted election sources:
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US Election Assistance Commission (PDF)
FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub's "Facts About Voting By Mail" (PDF)
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NPR, "Why Is Voting By Mail (Suddenly) Controversial?"
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The Bipartisan Policy Center, "Is Voting by Mail Safe and Reliable?"
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Lawfare Blog, "The Rise of Ballot Drop Boxes Due to the Coronavirus"