Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

AP: How are mail-in and absentee ballots verified?
The Associated Press ^ | October 2022 | By ALI SWENSON (D-AP)

Posted on 10/14/2022 11:51:18 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

How are mail-in and absentee ballots verified?

Whether a state requires voters to request an absentee ballot or participates in universal mail-in voting, all ballots cast by mail or dropped off at a drop box are vetted to ensure their legitimacy.

Election officials log every mail ballot so voters cannot request more than one. Those ballots also are logged when they are returned, checked against registration records and, in many cases, voter signatures are on file to ensure the voter assigned to the ballot is the one who cast it.

Still, mail ballots are one of the most frequent targets of misinformation around voting, despite fraud being rare.

Different states have different ballot verification protocols. All states require a voter’s signature, while some states have additional precautions, like having bipartisan teams compare that signature to a signature on file, requiring the signature to be notarized or requiring a witness to sign.

Despite widespread claims of mail-in and absentee ballot fraud, the reality is it’s exceedingly rare. The Brennan Center for Justice in 2017 ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004% to 0.0009%, based on studies of past elections.

Meanwhile, a May 2022 Associated Press survey of states that allowed the use of drop boxes in the 2020 presidential election found no cases of fraud, vandalism or theft involving drop boxes that could have affected the results.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ballots; democrats; harvesting; journalism; mailin; media; press; vote
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-43 next last
To: Oldeconomybuyer

They mewl too much about this topic. As if they are desperate to see it continue.

Why would the left wing media be so invested in so easily compromised methods of voting, hmmm?


21 posted on 10/14/2022 12:17:53 PM PDT by skeeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Still, mail ballots are one of the most frequent targets of misinformation around voting...”

This article proves that part true. The author “mistakes” the components of an ideal system for reality, and accepts at face value the claim by people supervising election fraud that there is none.

They might as well ask all the inmates in a prison whether they ever committed a crime, then report that based on reliable sources, 99.99% of prisoners din du nuffin.


22 posted on 10/14/2022 12:19:26 PM PDT by Chewbarkah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bloody Sam Roberts

When I was in charge of elections, returned Absentee Ballots were carefully scrutinized and verified (or not). This willy-nilly spamming citizens with unsolicited mail-back ballots is a travesty. It creates a free-for-all to facilitate cheating.

People need to get their lazy asses to their correct polling places on Election Day, stand in line (without whining) if necessary, and vote. Only truly disabled and people working overseas, including military, should be requesting Absentee Ballots.

Something I learned that’s disturbing is that often Absentee Ballots are not opened and are set aside. Supposedly, they’re only counted later on if the quantity of them could change the outcome of a race. Convenient policy if someone wants to mess with an outcome. (Traditionally, Absentee Ballots are heavy with views from the military which tend to be more conservative.) They all should be counted, no matter what.


23 posted on 10/14/2022 12:26:51 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (It amazes me how much "exercise" and "extra fries" sound alike.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
. . . all ballots cast by mail or dropped off at a drop box are vetted to ensure their legitimacy.

Here in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania where both major parties have representatives involved in the vetting process, probably so.

In most of flyover America who plays by the same rules, probably so.

In one party enclaves like Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, etc. Highly doubtful.

Fraud isn't widespread, it is concentrated in a few key areas. You can generally tell which areas by such things as taping up windows to prevent observers from observing, appearance of large numbers of ballots after the polls close, waterpipe bursts where those aren't in on the fix are sent home and told counting will resume in the morning . . . when it will go on while they are gone instead.

Our county requires that the mail-in/drop-box results are opened, counted and reported first. Only the in-person votes and a handful of exceptions for mail-in votes (such as overseas military) get counted after the initial tally.

So last year, the Democrats led in every single election in the county until the in-person votes started arriving. Then they lost every election for countywide office right down to the coroner.

24 posted on 10/14/2022 12:30:00 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightwingcrazy
“All states require a voter’s signature”

The leftists at the AP left out the part about how groups allied with the Democratic party file lawsuits to either ban or water down any requirement for a voter's signature.

In New Hampshire absentee ballots require a voter's signature, except that the Democrats got a court order barring election officials from comparing the signatures to the signature on the application for the absentee ballot, and another person can sign on behalf of the voter if they "assisted" the voter.

The same legal attack on signature matching which succeeded in the federal court in New Hampshire will probably be used nationwide to prevent any signature matching.

At this point in New Hampshire all we can do is determine that somebody signed the absentee ballot envelope, or at least scribbled some mark on it.

25 posted on 10/14/2022 12:30:53 PM PDT by freeandfreezing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: AzNASCARfan

Vote twice and just say you didn’t know. No doubt they are doing it


26 posted on 10/14/2022 12:31:34 PM PDT by wiseprince (Me,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Da Coyote

Of course there’s no verification. They wouldn’t be able to claim fraud is “rare” if there were.


27 posted on 10/14/2022 12:34:29 PM PDT by skeeter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: M Kehoe

I’m going to be honest. I hope they steal is for Stacey Abrams. I think they won’t because they probably had a deal with that guy.


28 posted on 10/14/2022 12:34:42 PM PDT by wiseprince (Me,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Sure they’re “vetted”. As Stalin and Xiden have said, it only matters who counts the votes. The only way to ENSURE integrity in the voting process is to vote IN PERSON WITH IDENTIFICATION. PERIOD!!!


29 posted on 10/14/2022 12:39:09 PM PDT by Smber (The smallest minority is the individual. Get the government off my back.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

🤣
Demonrat propaganda.
They’re going whole hog.
It will be even more massive than 2020.
They got away with it, then and stole the most important election of our lifetime and there were no consequences, so, why not?


30 posted on 10/14/2022 12:41:38 PM PDT by Eagles6 (Welcome to the Matrix . Orwell's "1984" was a warning, not an instruction manual.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightwingcrazy

Bastards


31 posted on 10/14/2022 12:44:35 PM PDT by toddausauras ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Yo-Yo

This poor guy from 2000. He was actually the R judge in that precinct


32 posted on 10/14/2022 1:02:37 PM PDT by BigEdLB (Let’s go Brandon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
I've been doing poll watching in NH this year - if GOP observers aren't there to personally observe the process through to the very end of the tallying process, late at night, they can look at the registered voter lists, see who never came by to vote, and then "oops" -- lets complete an Abs. ballot for that "voter" and run it through the machine........

Wide open for vote fraud, if GOP observers are not on scene, esp. in the late hours of election evening.

I will be in Manchester on Nov 8th, all day, watching for cheating!!!!

33 posted on 10/14/2022 1:21:57 PM PDT by 4Liberty (On Jan 6th: Trump’s OWN F.B.I. plotted against him.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bullish

BS is right....this continuous BS about the upcoming election being stolen is just that...BS. We haven’t even voted yet in many states and this vote fear mongering is starting already. How about we vote in November and then see what happens???

We ought to be more worried about the voters not liking the Republican response to the Dobbs decision and how they will vote for the Democrats because of this. I have been told I am part of the Christian Taliban because of this. Republicans messed up big time in their response to the ruling and I suspect that Democrats will do better than expected because of this.

I will be working at my local voting site this election so I will have a ring side seat to how it goes.


34 posted on 10/14/2022 1:26:13 PM PDT by hopefullamerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

I think the dems were able to capitalize on mass covid mail-ins by scrounging up every ballot they could any way they could. The got votes from people who would never actually show up and vote in person. Thats how they got to 80 million. Plus some cheating of course.


35 posted on 10/14/2022 1:36:25 PM PDT by olepap
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hopefullamerican

So you think the ‘20 election wasn’t stolen through couunt rigging and ballot stuffing? You really think Joe Biden got 81 million votes when no one even showed up at his campaign events? You think Trump lost even with more votes cast for him than even Obama’s best victory numbers? Trump had 10s of thousands of supporters at his rallies but he still lost?

If you think any of those are true then you’re not even worth debating here and you’d be more happy at another forum.

Done with you and every loser who thinks like you.

G’day


36 posted on 10/14/2022 2:25:37 PM PDT by Bullish (Rot'sa Ruck America. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Ali Swenson needs to watch “10,000 Mules”.


37 posted on 10/14/2022 2:34:46 PM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, Democrats believe every day is April 15th.for corruptiion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bullish

So I’m “canceled” because I want to focus on what’s happening this election cycle and not re-fight 2020??? And I’m the loser...yeah right.

Trump is NOT doing the Republican party any favors with his continual harping on the stolen election...I hear from potential voters in my precinct that they are tired of his continued harping on the 2020 election and they want to hear what he would do if re-elected...and these are registered Republicans who donate and actually vote. The 2020 election is OVER...so can we figure out how to win this fall’s elections and then get geared up for 2024??


38 posted on 10/14/2022 2:44:43 PM PDT by hopefullamerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

In Georgia you;re required to provide your drivers license or state ID number in addition to signing it. Unless you’re a handwriting expert I don’t see how you can tell whether the signature is valid or not.


39 posted on 10/14/2022 2:52:32 PM PDT by SubVet72
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hopefullamerican
Don't call the truth BS around here and you won't run up against folks like me refuting you. Your first sentence from post #34...

***BS is right....this continuous BS about the upcoming election being stolen is just that...BS.***

You're the one who's full of BS, and I might add leftist propaganda too. I have a feeling you're going to wear out your welcome here pretty fast.

40 posted on 10/14/2022 3:46:47 PM PDT by Bullish (Rot'sa Ruck America. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-43 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson