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-   -   the problem with mail in voting (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=848632)

  • Nov 22, 2021, 05:44 AM
    tomder55
    the problem with mail in voting
    This is an extreme example but illustrative of issues that arise with the unnecessary move towards all mail in voting

    This is about a Dem primary in the Florida 20th Congressional District, a safe Democratic seat formerly held by Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in April at age 84. So a primary was held . Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was certified last week as the Democratic nominee with less than a 10 vote victory. Nine other candidates split 25,763 votes

    BUT

    During the counting of the mail in ballots , 1,253 mail votes were tossed for missing the Election Day deadline.294 were postmarked before Election Day, meaning these voters probably assumed they’d done everything right. Another 708 had missing or illegible postmarks, so there’s no way to know when they were mailed. An additional 18 were rejected for wrong precinct or wrong party. The canvassing board rejected a handful of ballots from military voters and their spouses and dependents because the ballots didn't include evidence that the voters lived outside the United States, as required by state law.

    Now what is a second place candidate supposed to do when there is a 5 vote count margin and over 1400 ballots in dispute ? He initially said he would explore his legal options . The he accepted the results . Most candidates would've continued to pursue recounts and court intervention.

    It is a national problem . During the 2020 election Florida 13,919 mail ballots .Michigan rejected 20,480. Pennsylvania rejected 34,171 . and so on .

    The Dems answer is to accept all mail in ballots without challenge for 10 days after the fact . That is in the HR1 that the Dems are hot to pass by all means necessary . No election victor would be declared for almost 2 weeks after an election. Now there's a way to ensure confidence and trust in the process ! .
    Voter ID for all ! Limit early voting to a couple of days before the election ;not a couple of months . End mail in balloting and only allow limited absentee balloting .Only the chain of custody ensures a legitimate election . Sorry ;the USPS is not up to the task .
  • Nov 22, 2021, 08:09 AM
    jlisenbe
    We need that red wave desperately before the liberal dems create so much damage that it will be extraordinarily difficult to recover from. Come to think of it, we might be there now.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 10:01 AM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    End mail in balloting and only allow limited absentee balloting .Only the chain of custody ensures a legitimate election . Sorry ;the USPS is not up to the task .

    Then I would be deprived of my right to vote. And my son would be too.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:13 PM
    tomder55
    No you wouldn't any Illinois resident can request an absentee ballot.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:21 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    No you wouldn't any Illinois resident can request an absentee ballot.

    I'm not absentee (temporarily out of my voting district, as on vacation, in the military, etc.).

    "Originally created to accommodate overseas military service personnel in World War I, absentee voting has since expanded to include all those expecting to be absent from their precincts on election day."
    https://legal-dictionary.thefreedict...bsentee+Voting

    If you end mail-in voting, I'm out of luck.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:26 PM
    tomder55
    not true look up your state laws
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:30 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    not true look up your state laws

    Read what I added to my post.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:31 PM
    tomder55
    never mind I will tell you . Your state has 'no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee Any registered voter can apply to vote absentee for any reason .
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:36 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    never mind I will tell you . Your state has 'no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee Any registered voter can apply to vote absentee for any reason .

    I am NOT absentee!

    If I vote absentee, how would I do this?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:44 PM
    tomder55
    clearly you are not reading what I wrote . ANY eligible voter can apply for absentee ballots for ANY reason .in Illinois Your polling place could be next door and you could be perfectly healthy and still apply and have no other reason to do so. It is sometimes called no excuse absentee voting

    Here are your total state requirements

    1. Request your ballot by the deadline
    2. Receive your in ballot in the mail
    3. Return your ballot by the deadline
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:46 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    Here are your total state requirments

    1. Request your ballot by the deadline
    2. Receive your in ballot in the mail
    3. Return your ballot by the deadline

    How do I return my ballot?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:47 PM
    tomder55
    if you were out of the country how would you return it ?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 01:58 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    if you were out of the country how would you return it ?

    I'm NOT out of the country. Again, how do I return my ballot?

    In my precinct:

    To Vote by Mail


    • Complete and submit the online Application to Vote by Mail.
    • Once processed, your ballot will be mailed upon availability.

    -OR-

    • Obtain an official Vote by Mail Ballot Application by:

      • Downloading the Vote by Mail Application from this website.
      • Picking one up from any DuPage County registration location.
      • Calling the Election Division to request an Application at (630) 407-5600, Spanish (630) 407-5608, TDD: (630) 407-5631

    • After receiving the Vote by Mail Ballot Application, complete and return it to the Election Division as soon as possible.
    • When available, your ballot will be mailed upon receipt of the completed application.

    The last day to mail a ballot to a voter is the Thursday (5 days) prior to the election.
    Voted ballot must be postmarked no later than Election day in order to be counted.

    And what about all the other homebound voters, assisted-living and nursing home residents who want to vote? Vote By Mail.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:04 PM
    tomder55
    I gave you your state rules . You know the answer to your question . so why the game ? Absentee ballots get ,mailed .

    You will then say that there is no difference between mail in ballots and absentee ballots . I strongly disagree .That would be truer in Illinois because to your state's credit there are actual safeguards for mail in ballots .But many states mailed out ballots to all people on their voter rolls requested or not.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:10 PM
    jlisenbe
    You fill out the ballot and mail it in. Why is this complicated?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:17 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    You fill out the ballot and mail it in. Why is this complicated?

    No. Well before election day, I call the election board phone number and request an application. I'm questioned as to who I am and supply verbal proof. The election office says I passed muster. I wait. The application comes in the mail. I fill it out and mail it in. I wait. A ballot eventually shows up in my mailbox. I quickly fill it out and mail it back the next day.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:20 PM
    jlisenbe
    Not sure what your point is.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:37 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    Not sure what your point is.

    I'm not absentee (out of the country or even just away from my precinct on voting day). As a homebound person, mail-in voting is vital to me!

    (Mail-in is different from absentee. Tomder claims they're the same. Nope!)
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:40 PM
    jlisenbe
    Fair enough. But it’s not for many others, and I think that was Tom’s point.

    What verbal proof do you provide?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 02:46 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    Fair enough. But it’s not for many others, and I think that was Tom’s point.

    He said I am incorrect. I'm not.
    Quote:

    What verbal proof do you provide?
    My full name, my address, my birthdate, the last four digits of my SS#. And that's just to have an application mailed to me.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 03:05 PM
    tomder55
    Quote:

    (Mail-in is different from absentee. Tomder claims they're the same. Nope!)
    according to your state it is a distinction without a difference, Only in the debate of semantics is this even a valid discussion
  • Nov 22, 2021, 03:16 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    according to your state it is a distinction without a difference, Only in the debate of semantics is this even a valid discussion

    Even my state says they are two different situations. I am NOT absentee (away from my precinct). Absentee voters who are away from their precinct on election day and those voters who are unable to travel to a polling place because of physical/mental/developmental problems do send via USPS their mail-in ballots. But those are different reasons why mail-in ballots are permitted.
  • Nov 22, 2021, 05:39 PM
    jlisenbe
    Quote:

    Absentee voters who are away from their precinct on election day and those voters who are unable to travel to a polling place because of physical/mental/developmental problems do send via USPS their mail-in ballots.
    Kind of like a distinction without a difference?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 06:28 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    Kind of like a distinction without a difference?

    Absentee ballot = voter's body is far away from home and their precinct

    Mail-in ballot = voter's body is at home and in their precinct
  • Nov 22, 2021, 06:48 PM
    jlisenbe
    So in both cases the person gets an absentee ballot and mails it in? Doesn't that still pretty much amount to a distinction without, at the very least, a meaningful difference?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 07:02 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    So in both cases the person gets an absentee ballot and mails it in? Doesn't that still pretty much amount to a distinction without, at the very least, a meaningful difference?

    I get a real ballot. I'm where I should be, at my address on file in the county election office.

    "Follow your state’s instructions for requesting an absentee or vote-by-mail ballot." (usa.gov site)
  • Nov 22, 2021, 07:52 PM
    jlisenbe
    Did the others get a fake ballot?
  • Nov 22, 2021, 08:50 PM
    Wondergirl
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlisenbe View Post
    Did the others get a fake ballot?

    Have never seen one. The way the repubes scream, it must be.
  • Nov 23, 2021, 04:42 AM
    tomder55
    Argument - Monty Python - YouTube

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