Make mail-in ballots "idiot proof."

[3catwoman3]

If the main problems with mail-in ballots is that they are not signed or dated properly, shouldn’t that be easy to fix?

Put those sections of the ballot in BIG DARK EMPHASIZED fonts so they really stand out.

SIGN HERE

DATE HERE

[Kenny B]

1. Why is date relevant?

I started filling in my ballot and dated it, but didn't actually drop it until weeks later. Why is a date needed at all? What purpose does it serve? Why not remove it altogether?

[Mr.Bill]

2. I hand-delivered my mail-in ballot to

the Registrar of voters, Then the next day I wasn't sure if I had dated it. I called the office and they told me it wasn't an issue because they time and date stamp all the ballots when they recieve them.

That sounds like a good system that could work everywhere.

[scarletlib]

8. Exactly. Why is a date needed on envelope? The only "date' that counts is postmark.

Or for drop offs simply the fact that the ballot is in possession of the Regsistrar by or before Election Day.

[former9thward]

14. The post office sometimes does not put a postmark on mail.

Look at your mail. You will see sometimes there is no postmark.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. People can back-date documents.

The fact that a ballot was received on or before Election Day should negate any repig desire to throw out otherwise valid ballots.

Undated ballots in states that allow post Election Day receipt should still be valid if they have good postmarks. The postmark should override voter provided dates - I assume it does where the voter proved date is within date parameters but a postmark is outside of parameters.

[3catwoman3]

3. I have no idea. I just know I keep hearing about...

…no date being a common reason ballots are rejected. Fine by me if that requirement is eliminated.

[Kenny B]

10. Voter suppression seems like the only logical reason for it

I was talking to a Republican that was cheering this decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that ballots with no date or invalid date should be discarded. I asked what purpose the date served. No response. This is somebody I generally view as intelligent.


https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/pa-supreme-court-orders-counties-not-to-count-undated-mail-in-ballots/?fbclid=IwAR2pImyjV5Gpm83VF4vg4SfXe307sBOihRfiAxoRjvpRk4Jvat6LpTLAU_8

[former9thward]

15. It has to be dated before the end of the election day.

[CentralMass]

4. In Oregon we sign the back of the return envelope and when it is recieved

they scan it and compare it against the signature that you registered with.
My signature sucks frankly but I have never had it rejected. If it doesn't match fir some reason they alert you so that yiu can come in and correct it.
Since tgere are nearby drop boxes I always drop mine in the drop box. We can check online if our ballot was recieved.

[Thunderbeast]

5. No date required on Oregon envelopes.

Return is postage paid (free).

[pnwmom]

6. One problem is that people's signatures change over time, so sometimes they're too different

to pass the test.

[former9thward]

13. If the signature is radically different the voter is contacted for verification.

Its not that hard.

[yellowdogintexas]

7. Here the ballot signature is matched to the mail in application

not the original voter registration.

Most folks send in their applications in January then they receive a ballot for every election that year.

In our primary we had a debacle over the driver's license and social number requirements. Every county in the state was in an uproar - I expected pitchforks and torches outside the Secretary of State's office.

So when we got our ballots for this election the envelopes were completely redesigned, with increased space for the numbers & larger print used in the instructions. A huge improvement.

[scarletlib]

9. Putting your SSN on the outside of envelope is an option? If true, not a good idea.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. not on the outside. on the inside back of the envelope

then you seal the flap and sign the flap.

Once the info is verified, the outside envelope is destroyed. The secrecy ballots are then held until Election Day when they are opened and scanned.

[former9thward]

12. They already are.

It is not in a secret place or in fine print.

[yellowdogintexas]

16. ours were horrible in the Primary. No real effort

was made to make the process user-friendly. Every ballot board in the state was pulling their hair over it.

The location was easy, but the print was too fine and the space was definitely not large enough

The difference between those envelopes and the ones we had for the General was like night and day. Very clear and readable instructions, important points in large bold red font. The two number requirements each had a nice line next to them for writing. (by the way if you are certain you only need to use the DL, you do not have to use your SS number.)

[SickOfTheOnePct]

18. My experience is that

whenever we as a society come up with something we deem "idiot proof", someone else just comes up with a bigger idiot.