Are Mail-in Ballots Safe?

With a presidential election happening in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in mail-in ballots due to safety concerns regarding in-person voting. The spike of mail-in votes has left many Americans wondering whether their vote is safe.

According to the USPS (United States Postal Service) their process for handling mail in ballots is secure and has been tested thoroughly. They have extensive information about requesting ballots, deadlines, and timing on their website. For example, there are deadlines for mailing in the ballot in order to ensure one’s vote will be counted on time and that it will make it to the election officials. These deadlines vary from state to state.

Although President Trump has voted by mail himself, he claims the process is fraudulent and the election will not be accurate. These claims have been fact checked by Twitter, which was where he made them and have additionally been called false by election experts according to NPR (National Public Radio). By making these claims, Trump is setting up the pretenses of a fraudulent election which could potentially cause chaos post-election.

Experts say, according to NPR, that while fraud tends to increase in mail in ballots, it is still extremely rare. Experts agree that fraud would not have an impact on the election. The fraud rate for mail in votes is 0.00006%. There have only been 143 criminal voting convictions over the past 20 years.

In response to the concerns raised this election year, consensus from experts shows that mail-in voting is safe and effective. Voting by mail is a secure way for Americans to use their voice while protecting the safety of themselves and others.