FAQ: Absentee Ballots
Q. Why is absentee voting better than voting at my precinct on Election Day?
A. Many precincts are now using electronic voting machines which have these problems:
- poll workers (many of whom are elderly) are not being trained adequately, resulting in hours-long lines as occurred in the widely-publicized September primary in Maryland
- the machines can easily be hacked so that your vote for a Democrat is changed to a vote for a Republican
- the machines do not produce a paper trail so neither you nor anyone else will ever know your vote has been changed
- if the election is close and a recount is ordered, there is no paper trail to recount
All of these problems can be avoided by voting absentee.
It is no surprise that Republicans (like MD Gov. Bob Ehrlich) are urging their supporters to vote absentee rather than at the polls.
Q. Will my absentee ballot be counted?
By law, absentee ballots must be counted like all other ballots.
Q. Can Republican election officials commit fraud with absentee ballots?
Yes - by throwing away your ballot or substituting a ballot marked for Republican candidates.
Of course this kind of fraud is a crime with severe penalties if it is detected. Typically election offices employ Democrats and Republicans who must work in tandem when handling ballots. To make sure this is the case, you should talk to the top Democrat at your county election office.
