Online voting

US Midterms: Mail-In Voting

Is mail-in voting a right that should be open for all, or a rare necessity requiring strict postal oversight?

Published 22 hours ago

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Above: An official midterm general election mail-in ballot issued in Hudson County, NJ, on Sept. 16. Image credit: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

The Spin

Democratic narrative

Mailing one's ballot is a legal, reliable option used by nearly one-third of voters, and it's absolutely not a loophole to be dismantled by presidential decree. Trump's rushed USPS rules could deny eligible voters ballots over list or barcode mismatches, despite bipartisan warnings about the widespread disruption it would cause. With states and Congress solely responsible for election rules, restricting mail access creates chaos in the name of fighting fraud that's virtually non-existent.

The New York Times

Status Kuo on Substack The New York Times

Republican narrative

The explosion of post-2020 mail-in voting has already led to fraud, but the real danger lies in what's ahead. As unsolicited mail ballots become the norm, polling places lose the observers and official chain of custody that used to sit at the center of the system. Most voters don't need a mail ballot, and those who do still need the USPS list-and-envelope rule so a paper trail exists before the ballot leaves official hands. This combats fraud and ensures every lawful ballot is counted.

Heritage Foundation PJ Media The Center Square