Unsolicited Mail-in Ballots

In states like Utah where the voting is 100% by mail, they send ballots to everyone. That has nothing to do with the election denial/skepticism. Utah etc. have been doing this for years, long before the last decade started.

For states where mail-in voting was added temporarily due to the pandemic, ballots were only sent if the applicable legislature authorized it.

There are only about 44.2 million registered voters in the states where ballots are automatically sent.

Any crap about 80 million "unsolicited" ballots is a Trump talking point.

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-80-million-unsolicited-ball/fact-check-clarifying-trumps-80-million-unsolicited-ballots-claim-idUSKBN2622SZ

In Texas, the Republicans used to send me my ballots, until I answered one of their surveys. Realizing their error in helping out a non Republican, they quit sending them. Now they are sent by the Democrats. The Democrats don't send me surveys or they likely would quit sending them too.

jespah-

Thank you.

I have never claimed that about 80 million "unsolicited" ballots. I'm not sure what the sentence means.

I think, I'm not sure, that several States, pursuant to law, sent ballots or affidavits to all its registered voters. I think that doing so was poor public policy because 1) it increased the risk of fraud, and 2) even if no fraud resulted, it increased the feeling that it might be.

I think that in the 2020 election, if 50,000 votes had flipped in Pennsylvania and any two of Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin, Trump would have won in the Electoral College.

I recommend that all voters be required to vote in person at their assigned polling place and that identification be checked.

I would allow an alternate procedure for those who need accommodation (e.g., illness, etc.).

Why? Is voter fraud a problem?

In my view, everyone of voting age should be automatically registered and election day ought to be a holiday. Voting by mail should be easy for everyone. There should be a paper trail and recounts should be required when requested. A recount in Florida would have elected Al Gore.

I know when I was in college, I got an absentee ballot. I was able to go to my registrar office and vote, they recorded/signed off it was valid and I sent it in.

I think it makes sense, if someone is unable to get out to vote on voting day, say you are elderly, there is something in place where they are able to vote without physically go to the voter booth.

Some sort of in between, where the general public can feel there is some sort of protection of voter fraud. Maybe a the head of an assistant living facility is given authority to signoff (similar to a college registrar). In reality one, if they wanted and knew when these ballots are mailed, go to various mailboxes and take them and use these ballots to vote.

Do I think there is widespread voter fraud? No, but perception may be otherwise and if it is perceived that this could result in voter fraud, why wouldn't we want to put in place some safety nets? Just common sense. Where I work, I cannot get presents of a certain value from a parent, why? So it is not perceived that I give their child better treatment than another. Although there would be no reason to suspect this, it could be perceived I am being bribed.

We do it in other areas, why not voting ballots?

izzythepush-

I do not claim that there has been widespread fraud. Nor do I claim that any fraud that may have occurred changed the winner.

That said, I find it plausible that the winner was changed in one or more close races.

I also find it plausible that with the increased voting outside the polling place, that fraud may be increasing. Fraud may reduce public confidence that the real winner is elected. This a very, very serious problem for society.

To answer izzythepush's question, voter fraud is a problem even if it is not massive and does not change the winner.

Voter suppression is the problem, not voter fraud.

What you suggest will exacerbate the problem.

edgarblythe-

That would make it easier for another person to take one's ballot or control the voter.

Why does the voter need a day off if we vote by mail?

Maybe Al Gore would have been elected in a recount, but how do you know? Is it because you wanted Al Gore for president?

RPhalange-

I find all your recommendations to be reasonable.

I do not think that there is widespread voter fraud.

As to, "[w]e do it in other areas, why not voting ballots? What other areas?

Your system is open to corruption.

Pupils "graduate" from high school based on internal assessments.

We have public exams, it wouldn't matter how I appeared to favour a child, I can't sit the exam for them, or have any part of the marking process.

izzythepush-

As a teacher is in charge of teaching each child, it is a conflict of interest for her to be involved in the grading of the student.

You are incorrect - we have assessment tests that students need to pass to graduate. It is public, set up by each state not by the internal school. If a student is low on the testing scale, they are provided free of charge classes they can attend outside the school hours for extra tutoring; it is not required but it is offered so that every student can succeed. Is it perfect, no. But it is available for every student.

As far as favor a child, I meant more on giving them extra attention on not grades. I do not grade children in my particular job, but teachers do not grade the tests that are required to pass to graduate.

I meant that you need checks and balances in all areas to prevent the appearance of any fraud, whether it be voter fraud (i.e.have some sort of check for those that cannot get out to vote that they can still vote but we have a level of comfort it is their vote); or the mailman can only accept gifts under a certain amount or my friend that works in the bank area has to have a gift from a customer over a certain amount approved before accepting.

Many areas/industries have things like this to prevent the appearance of any favoritism or fraud.

RPhalange-

Maybe things have changed, thus making my statements out-of-date and thus wrong.

When I went to school, most tests were written by the teacher, proctored by the teacher, and graded by the teacher.

The day to day tests are done by the teachers. But many states, there are standardized tests that set by the state that students need to pass to graduate and in others it can be set by county, school district, etc.

Now there can be certain types of exceptions but yeah most states have some sort of exam(s) that students are excepted to pass. It is not figured into your grade those are the ones that are written and proctored by the teacher typically.

RPhalange-

It sounds like an improvement from my day.

Correction: Expected to pass, not excepted to pass.
I won't tell the teacher.

The 2020 US presidential election was perhaps the most closely monitored and reviewed US presidential election in history. The only instances of voter fraud were inconsequential that are found in every election. The process is thoroughly safety-netted. "Perceptions" of voter fraud are better described as the delusions of people who refuse to accept that their guy lost. They do not need voter suppression; they need counseling.

InfraBlue-

You may be right.

That said, when I was young, there was a joke that there was a nickel's worth of difference between the two parties.

People said we were throwing out one set of crooks and bringing in another.

We don't hear those jokes anymore.