More than 500,000 mail ballots were rejected in the primaries. That could make the difference in bat
Source: Washington Post
More than 500,000 mail ballots were rejected in the primaries. That could make the difference in battleground states this fall.
By Elise Viebeck
8/23/2020, 9:15:00 p.m.
More than 534,000 mail ballots were rejected during primaries across 23 states this year nearly a quarter in key battlegrounds for the fall illustrating how missed delivery deadlines, inadvertent mistakes and uneven enforcement of the rules could disenfranchise voters and affect the outcome of the presidential election.
The rates of rejection, which in some states exceeded those of other recent elections, could make a difference in the fall if the White House contest is decided by a close margin, as it was in 2016, when Donald Trump won Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin by roughly 80,000 votes.
This year, according to a tally by The Washington Post, election officials in those three states tossed out more than 60,480 ballots just during primaries, which saw significantly lower voter turnout than what is expected in the general election. The rejection figures include ballots that arrived too late to be counted or were invalidated for another reason, including voter error.
The stakes are high as the most chaotic presidential election in memory collides with a once-in-a-century pandemic, which has led 20 states to expand or ease access to voting by mail as a public health measure.
Election experts said that the combination of the hotly contested White House race and millions of first-time mail voters could lead to a record number of ballot rejections and trigger a searing legal war over which are valid and who is the ultimate victor.
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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rejected-mail-ballots/2020/08/23/397fbe92-db3d-11ea-809e-b8be57ba616e_story.html
AlexSFCA
(6,137 posts)peacebuzzard
(5,174 posts)I know its supposed to be safe, but then again, after this post.
I did not feel too comfortable with the mail-in during primary and verified every step.
RazzleCat
(732 posts)I really believe that mail in ballots will be disavowed at a large rate. So I believe that if you can vote in person, do so. Don't vote in person if
1. Your voting machines have no paper trail.
2. Your state has vote by mail as it's normal voting system.
3. If you truly can't get to the polls. No transportation, unable to get away from work, fyi, in my state it is the law to give you the time to vote, unsure of other states.
I want vote by mail. I also want my vote not to be disallowed for some BS reason. I will mask/glove, social distance and get to the polls. I will continue to contact my representatives re: vote by mail, but this time, no.
peacebuzzard
(5,174 posts)And the mail in ballot system needs to be addressed in its entirety with a responsible administration.
I think mail in is the optimal choice for all voters. But not under the current mis-administration.
P.s. I will vote early in person as soon as the next ballot rolls out. And order my champagne for the next president Joe. 😎
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)If you can go to Starbucks, you can vote in person.
The risk is minor in both situations.
There are too many things legit and not that can go wrong with distance voting.
Plus I enjoy voting. Its fun an solemn at the same time.
peacebuzzard
(5,174 posts)For overpriced designer multi flavored coffee.
I like regular strong organic coffee made at home strained through a coffee filter with two tablespoons of the most widely abused drug on the planet. And I repeat that dose at least 1 time, usually two repeats. Its my morning ritual.
But I did take a commercial flight through a once busy airport (Atlanta) last week. It was dead, compared to prepandemic era. If I could do that...voting will be more like or probably less than like going to a grocery store. I still dont want to fly but it may be a necessity. My trip was certainly a necessity.
Voting is a necessity.
I will do in person voting instead of the mail voting system in the predominantly redneck State I live in.
I will not leave anything to chance.
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)I think some focus group thought it was a good way to make Trump look stupid or maybe call the election into question if it goes badly for us.
No Trump looks stupid all by himself and the election should be fine.
No need to create stupid issues.
They backfire, eventually.