by ‘Couchman’
A when Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced her office was going to mail absentee ballot requests, it caused quite a stir from commenters to this online publication to President Donald Trump. For whatever reason, just mailing an absentee ballot request to every registered voter in a 21st century pandemic year was seen as an act that threatens electoral integrity.
With the Aug. 4 primary in the rearview mirror, as in 2018, it appears Michigan is going to have a record number of voters in the November general election based on the record number of votes cast in August in which 2.5 million people voted and 1.6 million cast their vote using an absentee ballot.
If you are going cast your vote(s) for candidates in November using an absentee ballot and you want your ballot to be counted, there are several steps you need to do. Call your county or municipality clerk to confirm you are on the voter rolls with your current address so your ballot will be mailed to you. Once you receive your absentee ballot, follow the directions from using the correct color to make your choices: folding the ballot properly, putting the ballot into the ballot envelope then into the mailing envelope and sign where your signature is requested with your name as it appears on the voter rolls. (It’s the name above your address) When absentee ballots are counted there are interested parties with political affiliations who can challenge the ballot for multiple reasons to get the whole ballot tossed so following directions are critical if you want your vote counted.
If you want to take the United States Postal Service out of the equation once you get your ballot, vote and return your ballot to the appropriate municipal office any time before or on Election Day. Despite what you might read on social media or hear on the radio, you can vote and hand deliver your completed absentee ballot to the address shown on the return envelope. You don’t have to use the USPS.
In the last 2 weeks we have seen some interesting developments involving voting by mail. President Trump hadn’t been a fan of voting by mail for various reasons. In April he tweeted, “Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting. Democrats are clamoring for it. Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, (it) doesn’t work out well for Republicans.”
Just this week the RNC and Trump 2020 campaign filed a suit to block Nevada from implementing its universal mail-in voting law it passed in August, claiming it opens up election fraud. At the same time while claiming Nevada’s mail in voting would be “a disaster,” President Trump said Florida’s use of mail in ballots was acceptable. Why is it that the President, his wife, his children and their spouses have all used absentee ballots to cast their votes in prior elections but others shouldn’t be afforded the same opportunity to vote?
In the last seven days we have learned that on Friday, Postmaster General DeJoy who was appointed in May 2020 has suddenly become very interested in controlling costs at the USPS less than 100 days before the November General Election. On Friday he issued a new organizational chart that centralizes power around him and de-emphasized knowledge of the US Postal System.
The new structure allows Postmaster Louis DeJoy, whose background is as a CEO of a freight company, to make changes with little or no input from experienced senior postal officials. Those changes include reduction of overtime, hiring freezes and ordering delays in delivery to cut costs.
Besides those cost cutting measures, less than three months before the November General Election, Postmaster DeJoy is proposing the USPS charge states 55 cents per ballot to mail absentee ballots rather than the marketing mail rate that states have been charged for mailing ballots in the past. Currently that rate is 20 cents per ballot. Essentially, when states are already in Pandemic caused economic distress Postmaster DeJoy wants to raise the cost of mailing absentee ballots 2.75 times for millions of absentee ballots in Michigan and the other 49 states.
If you do get your absentee ballot on or before Nov. 3, make sure you fill it out, vote, sign it (election officials will check your signature) and hand deliver your ballot. If you requested an absentee ballot and don’t see it in your mail box by Oct. 20, (two weeks before Election Day) contact your local election officials who should know when the ballots were mailed.
Don’t let newly instituted post office procedures take away your right to vote by delaying your ballot’s delivery to you or delaying your delivery to the clerk’s office where your vote won’t be be counted if it arrives after November 3.
EDITOR’S NOTE: “Couchman,” is the pen name of a frequent commenter on Townbroadcast.
Thank you, Couchman, for this. One thing on which most of us can agree is that this election is very important. I look forward to casting my vote.
Couchman:
Though we seldom agree, on voting by mail I can’t help but agree with you.
Everyone screaming fraud just doesn’t understand how absentee balloting works and this would just be on a larger scale.
If one removes the hype from political parties they may come to see the advantage of this form of voting.
Yes potentially more votes may be cast… is this really so horrible to let every qualified voter have a say? Always thought voter suppression was illegal.
When either party starts complaining about fraud… are they really saying just possibly their candidate has no chance of winning?
In my opinion, this presidential election has nothing to do with Trump or Biden, it will hinge on who Biden picks as his running mate. That person could be this country’s leader. So will the Republicans remain holding the leadership? Time will tell.
So let’s make voting as easy as possible for all whom are qualified to vote
Mr. Smit,
Your last line is the big question – how will we know. You presume too much and discount there are those out there who are devious and dishonest. Mail-in voting is a travesty to our freedom to vote and have it count. I’m not against “absentee” voting if you are unable to be at the polls on voting day, but not to every Tom, Dick, and Harry who is too lazy to get to the polls in person.
There were a few states recently with early voting for primary races (New York and Nevada, I believe) and they still don’t know the true winner.
Absentee balloting is for those not able to vote on election day. If you’re so lazy or are indecisive, stay home. There is no reason to not go to the polls. Wear a mask and social distance.
Mail in voting is fraught with ballot stuffing possibilities, especially by Democrats, since they are so hateful and out of their gourds about President Trump.
These aren’t “absentee ballots” in many states, they are mail in ballots, and there is no reason to think voter fraud, ballot stuffing, and ballot buying won’t happen. Illegals will be sent ballots in some states – California already has indicated this will happen.
This is a joke of an idea and detrimental to the liberty and freedom we now enjoy. Convenience doesn’t trump citizenship.
DOTM,
On the contrary. Convenience encourages citizenship. Society changes in response to many influences, and technology is perhaps the most influential of factors. Why should it not make voting and the right to vote easier and equally secure as voting in person?
Ms. Mandaville,
Please don’t be so coy and devious. You know why Democrats encourage mail-in and “absentee ballot voting. It has nothing to do with convenience, it has everything to do with ballot buying, ballot stuffing, and trying to influence (steal) an election since the past five years were relentless attacks on our candidate, president – elect, president and his administration. With the possibility of illegals voting in our elections, it should affect and anger every American citizen. The results of the election won’t be known for days if not weeks or months. If you think this is a good thing, you and like-minded are fools.
What has happen to the people in this country? Voting is a privilege and an honor. To stand in line for a few minutes is nothing compared to the lives that were given to earn you lazy sobs the right to do so. Are you sure you can even lick the stamp or will you need help? If you can’t get up from your couch, stay there and have a few more chips.