Mail In Ballots and the Upcoming Election

[alabamagal]

Here you had to sign ballot and sign outside envelope. Most disqualifications were due to not signing outside. It was in big letter to sign.

[TheOtherMe]

We have to put the ballot in the secrecy envelope and sign outside envelope.  Can't remember if we sign ballot.  I don't think so as then it would no longer be a secret ballot.

Absentee ballot comes with a label so they will know who is voting.

[Ava]

Well, CT will allow absentee ballots in November, no questions asked, no need to give a reason, etc.
I'm thrilled. CT has very staunchly refused any form of voting except in person. 
I will take advantage of this, but I would have voted in person if necessary, taking as many precautions as possible. This is a historic election and I won't be left out of it. And I always vote, anyway.

[Cookies Galore]

In early 2019, the PA General Assembly passed a bill that allowed no questions asked mail in voting, beginning in 2020. How did they know a pandemic would hit in time for the first election where every could vote by mail?!
Right now, we have mail in voting and absentee voting, which might as well be the same thing, but absentee voting is written into our state constitution so for now we have two different ways to not vote in person. It'll be cleaned up at some point. Anyway...
Husband and I voted by mail in our primary and it was fantastic. We're definitely voting by mail in November and will be requesting our ballots soon (because I just remembered ballot request time is open). For the primary, there was a huge influx of mail in ballot requests in our area of the state so Gov. Wolf gave a week extension to count ballots in five(?) counties in the state. I'd say the vast majority of ballots were counted before the extension period was up. Only one county was super slow with their ballot counting. So, not a terrible experience. I like that I got an email when my ballot was mailed, when it was recieved by the county, and when my vote was entered. So glad we finally have mail in voting.

[TheOtherMe]

The GOP legislature in Iowa saw fit to shorten the early voting (in person or absentee) to 20 days.  That was waived for the primary and was something like 40 days.

It is not expected that the 20 day period will be waived for the general election.

The Secretary of State had to request to a committee that he could mail absentee ballot requests to every voter in the state.  Because every County Auditor who is a Democrat was going to mail the requests, the committee decided the SOS could do the same thing.

[jerseygirl]

Not good indication for November election. About 84,000 of about 403,000 mail in ballots for NYC democratic primary disqualified, about 20%.
Similar to about 20% mail in ballots in PatersonNJ election.
Also significant delays in determining winners/losers

www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/08/05/84000-mail-in-ballots-disqualified-in-nyc-primary-election/amp/

In the recent NJ primaries, every registered voter was mailed ballots. No results yet for our local elections.

[thyme4change]

Aug 7, 2020 12:55:58 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Not good indication for November election. About 84,000 of about 403,000 mail in ballots for NYC democratic primary disqualified, about 20%.
Similar to about 20% mail in ballots in PatersonNJ election.
Also significant delays in determining winners/losers

www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/08/05/84000-mail-in-ballots-disqualified-in-nyc-primary-election/amp/

In the recent NJ primaries, every registered voter was mailed ballots. No results yet for our local elections.

So 403 were sent to voters and 84 were counted, but we don't know how many were sent in to be counted? Or 403 were actually submitted to be counted and only 84 qualified?

[jerseygirl]

Aug 7, 2020 13:22:04 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Aug 7, 2020 12:55:58 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Not good indication for November election. About 84,000 of about 403,000 mail in ballots for NYC democratic primary disqualified, about 20%.
Similar to about 20% mail in ballots in PatersonNJ election.
Also significant delays in determining winners/losers

www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/08/05/84000-mail-in-ballots-disqualified-in-nyc-primary-election/amp/

In the recent NJ primaries, every registered voter was mailed ballots. No results yet for our local elections.

So 403 were sent to voters and 84 were counted, but we don't know how many were sent in to be counted? Or 403 were actually submitted to be counted and only 84 qualified?

No, of 40300 ballots received, 84,000 were disqualified. Article doesn’t mention how many were sent

[Deleted]

Stupid question probably, but my son just turned 18 and wants to vote in our county but won't be around, so he has to register and get an absentee ballot. I have no clue what he needs to do for that since all I've ever done is gone down to the town hall on voting day and maybe showed them my driver's license decades ago.

[thyme4change]

Aug 7, 2020 13:38:03 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Stupid question probably, but my son just turned 18 and wants to vote in our county but won't be around, so he has to register and get an absentee ballot. I have no clue what he needs to do for that since all I've ever done is gone down to the town hall on voting day and maybe showed them my driver's license decades ago.

Google "Elections Register Absentee" and your state or county. They should have a website with information. It is different in different places.

[Deleted]

Trump wants his lemmings to think this election was rigged against him because he knows he will lose. All this mail-in voting BS is just that = BS. 

When he loses, he wants his supporters to rise up against those who "stole" his election and fight to keep him in power so he can avoid going to prison. 

It's clear to see what he's up to. It's his M.O.

If it wasn't working so well for the pandemic, I would roll my eyes. However, this could be a really serious problem in the future. 

[jerseygirl]

Aug 7, 2020 14:18:22 GMT -5 @shastasnewlife said:

Trump wants his lemmings to think this election was rigged against him because he knows he will lose. All this mail-in voting BS is just that = BS. 

When he loses, he wants his supporters to rise up against those who "stole" his election and fight to keep him in power so he can avoid going to prison. 

It's clear to see what he's up to. It's his M.O.

If it wasn't working so well for the pandemic, I would roll my eyes. However, this could be a really serious problem in the future. 

Based on just the recent Paterson NJ and NYC problems with mail in, don’t think it’s all BS

[Tennesseer]

Forty states and D.C. have early voting.  The states with early in-person voting have various end dates for early voting up to the day before before the state primary or general election.

Why not make it that all mail- in voting must be postmarked no later than midnight of the last day of early voting.  

Hopefully, all mail-in ballots are received on time.

As for states with no early voting, and if they do allow mail-in voting this year, they will have to figure it out.

[jerseygirl]

In NYC and Paterson the problems were no signatures, no postmarks, too late. invalid signatures (multiple ballots with same handwriting), and in Paterson NJ there was bundling. In NJ , One person can bring in 3 ballots (help neighbor, family etc?) But there were many more than 3 ballots each brought in by people, These were postpaid mail in ballots so question is were the ballots harvested ? From others ? Multiple illegal votes ?

In NJ these aren’t absentee ballots, ballots were (and will) be mailed to all registered voters. Even those who have eg, moved, but still on voter lists
Lots of scope for mischief
Yes think setting a definitive date by which ballot must be received is reasonable


20% invalid is crazy

[Deleted]

Texas has early voting and it's been extended by one week.  We also have mail-in ballots for elderly and disabled but I think it's still being litigated as to whether fear of catching the virus qualifies you to get a mail-in ballot.  

We've voted mail-in in the past because of our age, but in an era of voter suppression and political pressure on the USPS have lost faith in our ballots being delivered or counted.  One can drop off a mail-in ballot but only on election day and at just 11 courthouses around the county.  There is a push to have drop-off capability at the polling places themselves but it's unlikely to happen IMHO.

DH and I have already determined that we will vote in person during the early voting period this year despite the exposure risk.  I think if we go early a.m. about a week into the early voting period, or maybe on a Sunday afternoon, we can reduce our exposure somewhat.  

[TheOtherMe]

Any voter can request an absentee ballot here.  I will be receiving a request from both my county auditor and the Secretary of State.  The Secretary of State had to get permission from a new committee after the legislature finished in June and implemented this.  

My county has said the forms will be sent around September 1.  The actual ballot can not be mailed to me until 20 days before the election.  

The request for an absentee ballot must be received 10 days before the election.

The ballot itself must be postmarked no later than 1 day before the election and must be received no later than 6 days after the election.  

I plan to put first class postage when I return the ballot so it will be treated as first class mail.

[billisonboard]

Aug 7, 2020 15:29:59 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Forty states and D.C. have early voting.  The states with early in-person voting have various end dates for early voting up to the day before before the state primary or general election.

Why not make it that all mail- in voting must be postmarked no later than midnight of the last day of early voting.  

Hopefully, all mail-in ballots are received on time.

As for states with no early voting, and if they do allow mail-in voting this year, they will have to figure it out.

Why?

Have we reached a point where we can not accept a delay of days or even a couple weeks?

[lynnerself]

Oregon is all vote by mail. But ballots must be received not post marked by the date of the election. Fortunately there are many places to drop the ballots off in person.

Historically about 25% of the ballots are turned in on the last day.

[thyme4change]

Aug 7, 2020 14:18:22 GMT -5 @shastasnewlife said:

Trump wants his lemmings to think this election was rigged against him because he knows he will lose. All this mail-in voting BS is just that = BS. 

When he loses, he wants his supporters to rise up against those who "stole" his election and fight to keep him in power so he can avoid going to prison. 

It's clear to see what he's up to. It's his M.O.

If it wasn't working so well for the pandemic, I would roll my eyes. However, this could be a really serious problem in the future. 

Maybe not even rise up as much as sow seeds forever that he was robbed. You get just a few respectable historians to put the theory out there, and there is an asterisk next to Joe's presidency forever. Trump gets to be the poor little rich boy who got screwed by America, not the incompetent loser that he is.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 7, 2020 16:31:43 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Aug 7, 2020 15:29:59 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Forty states and D.C. have early voting.  The states with early in-person voting have various end dates for early voting up to the day before before the state primary or general election.

Why not make it that all mail- in voting must be postmarked no later than midnight of the last day of early voting.  

Hopefully, all mail-in ballots are received on time.

As for states with no early voting, and if they do allow mail-in voting this year, they will have to figure it out.

Why?

Have we reached a point where we can not accept a delay of days or even a couple weeks?

Trump and his post master general cannot be trusted.

[thyme4change]

Sticky sitch though. There are most definitely Republicans who vote by mail. Traditionally the mail in vote has helped the GOP. So, they only have a few options. One would be to figure out which ballots are more likely to be blue voters, and pull them at a rate high enough to make a difference, but low enough that it wouldn't get noticed. If you halt the delivery of a significant amount of ballots across the board, it would be too noticeable and be super messy. If you let enough through that the USPS won't get caught, you might still screw the Republicans.

The only thing to do is shuffle around and make a real mess to "prove" that mail in voting doesn't work, but still get blamed because postal workers would tell us of any odd directives or sudden new policies. I am not sure the USPS can fix the election. Just make it questionable enough that Trump can die yelling "I was robbed."

[billisonboard]

Aug 7, 2020 18:04:33 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 7, 2020 16:31:43 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Why?

Have we reached a point where we can not accept a delay of days or even a couple weeks?

Trump and his post master general cannot be trusted.

I don't see how your proposal addresses the issue of mistrust.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 7, 2020 19:31:03 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Aug 7, 2020 18:04:33 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Trump and his post master general cannot be trusted.

I don't see how your proposal addresses the issue of mistrust.

Delaying the mail-in votes past deadline for inclusion in count. Get them in earlier.

[billisonboard]

Aug 7, 2020 19:37:06 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 7, 2020 19:31:03 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

I don't see how your proposal addresses the issue of mistrust.

Delaying the mail-in votes past deadline for inclusion in count. Get them in earlier.

Extend the deadline.

[Deleted]

I guess it's true, Trump and his cronies really are trying to kill the USPS. That's going to be fun for people who rely on it for medications and other things. 


"Government watchdogs, Democratic lawmakers, and pro-democracy advocates declared it a "Friday Night Massacre" for the U.S. Postal Service after news broke in a classic end-of-the-week that Louis DeJoy—a major GOP donor to President Donald Trump and the recently appointed Postmaster General—had issued a sweeping overhaul of the agency, including the ouster of top executives from key posts and the reshuffling of more than two dozen other officials and operational managers.

"Trump is actively sabotaging the election under our noses—this isn't theoretical, it's happening RIGHT NOW." —Brian Tyler Cohen, political commentatorAccording to the Washington Post:"



www.salon.com/2020/08/08/friday-night-massacre-at-us-postal-service-postmaster-general-boots-top-brass-ahead-of-election_partner/

[mary2029]

What is awful is that the USPS does need an overhaul. Nobody needs their mail delivered on a near daily basis with email and bill paying online. Of if they think they do, they can get p.o. boxes.
Trump should have started this process a year or two ago, not an election year. Now, if Biden wins, the US is going to be doomed to maintaining the status quo for another four years.

[billisonboard]

Aug 8, 2020 10:07:44 GMT -5 mary2029 said:

What is awful is that the USPS does need an overhaul. Nobody needs their mail delivered on a near daily basis with email and bill paying online. Of if they think they do, they can get p.o. boxes.
Trump should have started this process a year or two ago, not an election year. Now, if Biden wins, the US is going to be doomed to maintaining the status quo for another four years.

Perhaps do you live in a urban area?

[TheOtherMe]

I live in a town of 2000 people.  Daily mail delivery is essential here.  

Amazon offloads all of their packages at 7 AM every morning to the post office.  

There are businesses in this town that need their mail daily.  The farmers around me get their medications for their animals through mail.  They need their mail daily.  This is farm country not a city.  

The cheapest way for me to buy medications is through the mail.  

I don't need to get a post office box.  

The post office is in the constitution.  It needs funding.  

Many people in their 80's and 90's do not use the internet.  What about them?

[Deleted]

It would be nice if they could figure out a way for people to opt out of daily delivery to save money.  I could for sure have a post office box or just one day a week delivery.  I get practically nothing in the mail and what I do is usually junk mail.  I'm sure there are a lot of people like that.

[billisonboard]

Aug 8, 2020 10:32:39 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

It would be nice if they could figure out a way for people to opt out of daily delivery to save money.  I could for sure have a post office box or just one day a week delivery.  I get practically nothing in the mail and what I do is usually junk mail.  I'm sure there are a lot of people like that.

I have a post office box. My street address box has a zip tie on it. I got the post office box for security because I used to be out of town more. FWIW, it saves the local delivery person 2.73 seconds each day to not have to put mail in my box when stopped to put it in the other 5 boxes in the row. It is likely a net savings of 1.12 seconds as the PO box doesn't have to be opened. That is unless I haven't emptied the box and it takes more time to try and fit mail in.