General Discussion

Kajun Gal

(1,907 posts) Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:30 PM Oct 2018

Which is safer? Absentee voting or voting at the machine?

12 replies

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Which is safer? Absentee voting or voting at the machine? (Original Post) Kajun Gal Oct 2018 OP

I am biased toward in person at the machine. Blue_true Oct 2018 #1

I think if you drop the ballot at the county clerk/election office AlexSFCA Oct 2018 #2

I vote early and suggest that everyone do where early in person voting is available. Blue_true Oct 2018 #7

At least in California, you can check to see if your ballot has been received, and if it wasn't still_one Oct 2018 #10

Until we get real legislation to protect our vote, it's still pretty much a crap shoot. YOHABLO Oct 2018 #3

Voting at a machine Gothmog Oct 2018 #4

The safest is a paper ballot at the polling place, IMO. roamer65 Oct 2018 #5

I agree. Basement Beat Oct 2018 #8

Toss Up Jrsygrl96 Oct 2018 #6

Depends on the state. WhiskeyGrinder Oct 2018 #9

It probably depends on where you live. LiberalFighter Oct 2018 #11

I always vote in person on election day. Our machines here in CA produce a paper stopbush Oct 2018 #12

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)

1. I am biased toward in person at the machine.

Reply to Kajun Gal (Original post)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:40 PM

Oct 2018

Ballots that are mailed in can be tossed by just one person. Machine totals get verified each day with people from all parties present.

AlexSFCA

(6,139 posts)

2. I think if you drop the ballot at the county clerk/election office

Reply to Blue_true (Reply #1)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:45 PM

Oct 2018

it might be safet than mailing, no?
I would personally avoid voting in person on the election day itself, what if something comes up and can’t make it.

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)

7. I vote early and suggest that everyone do where early in person voting is available.

Reply to AlexSFCA (Reply #2)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:56 PM

Oct 2018

I never wait until Election Day to vote once early voting came into existence. Early voting gives me multiple days to vote, I try to vote as early as possible in person.

still_one

(92,219 posts)

10. At least in California, you can check to see if your ballot has been received, and if it wasn't

Reply to Blue_true (Reply #1)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 10:26 PM

Oct 2018

counted, the reason it wasn't counted:

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/

"Under California Elections Code sections 3017 (PDF) and 3019.5 (PDF), a voter who casts a vote-by-mail ballot can find out if the ballot arrived at his/her county elections office, if the ballot was counted, and, if not, the reason why it was not counted."

YOHABLO

(7,358 posts)

3. Until we get real legislation to protect our vote, it's still pretty much a crap shoot.

Reply to Kajun Gal (Original post)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:46 PM

Oct 2018

Gothmog

(145,321 posts)

4. Voting at a machine

Reply to Kajun Gal (Original post)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:48 PM

Oct 2018

There is a one percent rejection rate for absentee ballots https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/09/19/study-mail-ballots-have-higher-rejection-rates-and-they-vary-widely-by-county/

A study of Florida's past two presidential elections finds that mail ballots were more likely to be rejected than votes cast at early voting sites or on election day.

The study also found that mail ballots cast by youngest voters, blacks and Hispanics were much more likely to be rejected than mail ballots cast by white voters, and that those voters are less likely to cure problems with their ballots when notified by election supervisors than other voters.

The study also shows that rejection rates vary widely across the state.

The report was produced by Daniel Smith, chairman of the political science department at the University of Florida, on behalf of the ACLU of Florida, whose director, Howard Simon, cited the state's "uncertain history in election administration" in a conference call with reporters.

roamer65

(36,745 posts)

5. The safest is a paper ballot at the polling place, IMO.

Reply to Kajun Gal (Original post)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:49 PM

Oct 2018

In MI, we have paper ballots that are read into an optical scan tabulator. There are paper copies for recounts.

Basement Beat

(659 posts)

8. I agree.

Reply to roamer65 (Reply #5)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:58 PM

Oct 2018

Something about seeing the actual paper ballot being counted as it goes into the machine.

Jrsygrl96

(110 posts)

6. Toss Up

Reply to Kajun Gal (Original post)

Tue Oct 23, 2018, 09:54 PM

Oct 2018

Here in NJ, we have ES&S machines that do NOT have paper trails and have remote software. Very hackable. So my siser applied for absentee ballot as did my daughter who is away at college. They have yet to receive them. May have to complete provisionals which are never counted. My hubby and I are taking our chances with no paper trail machines.