Absentee Ballots and Mail-In Ballots. What's the Difference and Why the Strong Opinions?

The ability to vote has been a cornerstone of American Democracy. For hundreds of years Americans have voted on countless leaders and key issues that have changed the course of history. In our attempts to reflect the ideal that America is the world leader in democracy, we have broadened the right to vote for countless individuals. We began with only white, male, landowners having the right to vote, to today where almost every American citizen has the right to vote. Even during a pandemic we are still attempting to ensure that almost every American can vote. This can be seen through the debate over absentee ballots and mail-in ballots.

The 2020 Presidential Election is approaching fast and without a vaccine or a concrete plan to eradicate the virus the way we vote may have to be altered. There will most likely be social distancing guidelines in place and general fear over catching the virus at the time of the 2020 Presidential Elections in November. Certain states have proposed a solution, mail-in ballots. Mail-in ballots are described by mailing every registered voter a ballot to fill out and mail back to the county registrar if they so choose; however, if the voter prefers to vote in person they can neglect the ballot and arrive at a polling station on election day. This method has spurred many questions as to what the difference is between mail-in ballots and absentee ballots. The answer is that there is no significant difference between mail-in ballots and absentee ballots other than the name. They both require a ballot that arrives and leaves via the mail. Only three differences between ballots exist: you must request an absentee ballot, one will not be given to all registered voters like with mail-in ballots, and in 16 states you must display a valid reason as to why you requested an absentee ballot.

There are many politicians who have expressed concerned over alleged voter fraud for mail-in ballots. In a tweet, President Trump said: "Absentee Ballots are a great way to vote for the many senior citizens, military, and others who can’t get to the polls on Election Day. These ballots are very different from 100% Mail-In Voting, which is “RIPE for FRAUD,” and shouldn’t be allowed." As we have previously said, absentee ballots are not that much different from mail-in ballots. Similarly, as mail-in ballots are not that much different from absentee ballots, mail-in ballots do not posses a higher risk of fraud than absentee ballots. Arguably, absentee and mail-in ballots posses the same risk for fraud as in-person voting does. In order to commit fraud at a polling site, for instance, you would have to obtain a fake photo I.D. (dependent on the state's law) and know the voter's address and full name. For mail-in voting you would swap the photo I.D. for the last four digits of a person's Social Security Number and their signature. Any of these security features, photo I.D., Social Security Number and signature, could be stolen or swapped on the black market. Presumably, voting in-person might deter someone who does not look like the registered voter from voting, however if you were to buy makeup, a wig, or even bear a small resemblance to the registered voter, volunteers wouldn't think twice about allowing you to vote. The probability of fraud is just as likely through mail-in ballots, as it is through in-person voting.

This begs the question why President Trump, and other mostly Republican Politicians, seem to oppose mail-in ballots while mostly Democratic Politicians seem to be in favor of them? The answer lies in a decades old misconception that vote by mail aids Democrats. The idea stems from the thought that those who would be most likely to vote by mail, would be those who don't hold a valid photo I.D. (again dependent on state law.) These voters tend to be those who live in poverty and do not have the means nor the need to obtain a photo I.D.. Women (14.5% of those in poverty,) Latinos (19.4% of those in poverty,) and African Americans (23% of those in poverty) are groups that often lean Democratic and would theoretically help Democrats in elections if mail in ballots were introduced. Although the three states where vote by mail was used the most (Washington, Oregon, and Colorado) went for the Democrats in the 2016 Presidential Election, the next three states that most used vote by mail (Utah, Arizona, and Montana) went for the Republicans. Furthermore, in Florida (key to all presidential elections) Republicans used vote by mail more than Democrats. Although it may appear as though vote by mail will tip elections for Democrats and against Republicans, the real consequence of vote by mail is that it gives more people the opportunity to vote.

Democracies thrive when we see increased participation. When more of a population votes, they often are able to influence policy and change more effectively as they force politicians to work for all people and not pander to just those who vote. Our societies become stronger and our faith in the political system rises when everyone votes. The American Revolution was born out of the idea that it was unjust that rightful citizens of England were stripped of representative rights just because of where they lived. Women's suffrage, The Civil Rights Movement and even the Civil War all occurred because we found it unjust that rightful citizens were stripped of voting and constitutional rights due to their race or gender. Mail-in ballots are no different. They do not award one party an unfair advantage but raise the overall voter turnout, ensuring that no one has their voting rights stripped away.

Citations:

“Who Can and Can't Vote in U.S. Elections.”USAGov, www.usa.gov/who-can-vote.

D'Angelo, Bob, et al. “What Is the Difference between Absentee Ballots, Mail-in Ballots?”WFTV, 10 Apr. 2020, www.wftv.com/news/trending/what-is-difference-between-absentee-ballots-mail-in-ballots/NJJKSSV47VH2LMM42MJEAIEPO4/.

“All-Mail Voting.”Ballotpedia, ballotpedia.org/All-mail_voting.

Rutenberg, Jim, et al. “Why Republicans Are So Afraid of Vote-by-Mail.”The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Apr. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/us/politics/republicans-vote-by-mail.html.

Leedrutman. “There Is No Evidence That Voting By Mail Gives One Party An Advantage.”FiveThirtyEight, FiveThirtyEight, 12 May 2020, fivethirtyeight.com/features/there-is-no-evidence-that-voting-by-mail-gives-one-party-an-advantage/.

Sauter, Michael B. “Faces of Poverty: What Racial, Social Groups Are More Likely to Experience It?”USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Oct. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/10/10/faces-poverty-social-racial-factors/37977173/.