Just wondering how we're going to keep this under control. Statistically, republicans use (so I've heard) the absentee ballot alot. It could be another way for them to steal or attempt to steal this election. That's why I'm concerned that it will go awry if we don't get a handle on this now.

push in states like Wisconsin to vote early...


Obama's campaign said it was the first time a presidential nominee and his spouse will not vote in person on Election Day, reflecting their emphasis on early voting in several key battleground states. Obama dominated early voting in 2008, giving him an edge over Republican John McCain well before Election Day.
In Colorado, Florida, Iowa and North Carolina, for example, Obama banked so many votes early in the process that he won each state even though he lost the Election Day vote, according to voting data compiled by The Associated Press.
The carefully choreographed early voting announcement was part of a big push this week. Obama plans to discuss early voting in Ohio and Iowa on Wednesday, after Tuesday's second presidential debate. The first lady was discussing early voting at events in Ohio on Monday, in North Carolina on Tuesday and in Wisconsin on Friday.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/ap/top-news/obama-first-lady-plan-to-vote-early-for-nov-6/nSdKK/

the largest County in the US, the absentee ballots are handled by the ES&S corporation. The company which purchased Diebold,
Diebold software authenticates the signatures on the envelopes. It can be set to high medium or low. The voter information is also contained in a Diebold owned database. It is in that private database that you will find the voters' addresses, correct or incorrect addresses, eligibility to vote, etc. It has been outsourced.
You will need to check for your County. My cousin comes from a small town, and she is sure that their absentees are received and counted by hand.

All i can tell you is that here, in a Democratic COunty, the largest County, it s all outsourced to the ES&S cOrporation. I would not vote absentee unless I really had to be out of state.
in 2008 citizen volunteers found voters who went to the polls and were they were sent absentee ballots, which they never received.
Voters who were removed from the rosters. I believe only a judge can gain access to the envelopes to check if the votes really came from the correct voters. you would need to win a lawsuit. if the signatures were checked by human beings, I would trust it 1000 times more. But they destroy the ballots as soon as they legally can, (22 months) to make that near impossible.

Example of Voter Fraud as the Obamas vote twice "The president and first lady are ... voting early in person and by mail in order"