Election 2024: Ballot Security
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Since the country was founded, voting has been a cornerstone right that people have fought and died for. In recent elections, the security of each ballot has been in question.
About a quarter of Americans say they have concerns about the way votes are processed according to a PBS/NPR/Marist poll. The numbers also show widespread voter fraud is very seldom.
“An American is more likely to be struck by lightning than to get impersonated as another voter at the polls,” Carah Ong Whaley, Issue One said.
In recent weeks, several states have tried to change their voting process on the home stretch of the election.
Weeks ago, in Nebraska there was a GOP led push to change how the state awards electoral college votes. Going from a vote per congressional district to a winner take all.
Georgia politicians are squabbling over new voting rules that would allow counties to delay certification of votes, hand counting and other changes days away from Election Day.
“It would’ve allowed tampering with election documents by providing greater access to election documents,” Whaley said. “It would’ve expanded the way people might intimidate the people who work our elections.”
Poll workers said there are new threats to election security in recent years. One of which is physical violence to election officials who are 80 percent women.
“Our elections are run by people who come from our community,” Whaley said. “Our friends, our neighbors. Most likely our grandmas.”
In St. Louis County, Missouri – Democratic Board of Elections Director Eric Fey says he hasn’t faced threats but knows many colleagues who have. Fey says false information is a real threat to the election process.
“Folks have questions – talk to your local election officials,” Fey said. “Don’t just keep reading a bunch of stuff on social media. Go to your local election office.”
Fey says on top of conversation… transparency combined with checks and balances keep your ballot safe after submission. He works together with his Republican counterpart every step of the way.
“The chain of custody is paramount,” Fey said. “That’s just not for the ballot but for the voting equipment itself and a number of things we handle. Much of what election officials do is open to the public, ballot counting… auditing, signatures handling.
Both election experts say if you have real concerns… want to improve the process – get involved.
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