The widespread fear of the coronavirus has taken over every aspect of life as we knew it, including the ability to cast your vote at a polling station.
Amid concerns of overcrowding, voting this year can be done via mail-in-ballots. But, sending your ballot in the mail is not as simple as it seems.
Preparedness, voter fraud, ballot counting and timing are all major concerns facing this year’s election, one of which has already reared its ugly head.
Nine military mail-in ballots cast for President Donald Trump were discarded at a local board of elections office in Pennsylvania, a federal investigation concluded.
According to the Daily Caller, the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police began an investigation Monday and the results were shocking. Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis requested federal assistance following reports of issues with ballots at the Luzerne County Board of Elections.
“Investigators have recovered nine ballots at this time,” U.S. Attorney David Freed said Thursday. “All nine ballots were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump.”
November’s election will be unlike any before. This year, a record 76 percent of Americans will be able to vote by mail. And while it may be convenient, it is also concerning. Incidents like this will become much more likely; once the ballot leaves the voter’s hands, the possibilities are endless.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy faced backlash in August for the United States Postal Service’s implementation of new internal policies, which included the removal of letter sorting machines. The service later reversed these changes to “avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail,” DeJoy said in a statement, according to the Daily Caller.
Because of the countless risks associated with mail-in voting, Trump has opposed the idea but with the election only 40 days away amidst a global pandemic, there aren’t many other options.
Only one question remains: who is responsible for the disposal of these ballots, and will they get away with it?