In response to Terry Noonkester's letter of Jan. 18, "How is my ballot secure in the mail?" The letter's claims are totally baseless. Oregon has a stellar record for election integrity. Further, there is no known instances of counterfeit ballots
Oregon voters have cast their ballots by mail, including for local, state and federal offices. They started doing so in 1987 – and have voted exclusively by mail in all elections since 1998.
Since that time there has only been one case of ballot fraud. Just one.
In 2000, Terri Louise Kobialka was convicted for Fraudulent Use Of Absentee Ballots. Terri Kobialka was a University of Oregon student during the 2000 election when she filled out a ballot mailed to her apartment in the name of a former tenant. Kobialka pleaded guilty to falsely signing a ballot, a Class C felony. She was sentenced to 18 months of probation, ordered to complete 120 hours of community service, and fined $500.
That is the only documented case of fraud in the nearly 35 years of mail voting in Oregon.
A further fact, according to US government sources, in the period between 1986 and 2019, there were only 4 confirmed cases of mail ballot fraud in the entire US.
Of the four fraud cases by mail-in ballots, two were federal elections, one a general and one a local city election. The federal frauds were committed in North Carolina by the Republican candidate and in Colorado by the head of the Colorado Republican Party; in the general election, a person filled and mailed a roommate's ballot (the above Oregon case) and in the local election, a candidate was charged with conspiracy, election fraud, mail-in ballot fraud, and witness tampering.
We could all use some Sunday reading. Here's a good article that explains why people believe what they believe and when "...consensus presents a picture that threatens someone’s ideological worldview. In practice, it turns out that one’s political, religious or ethnic identity quite effectively predicts one’s willingness to accept expertise on any given politicized issue.": https://theconversation.com/humans-are-hardwired-to-dismiss-facts-that-dont-fit-their-worldview-127168
And another conversation of what social media has in store for us all. "Most misinformation is not the result of innocent misunderstanding. It’s the product of specific campaigns to advance a political or ideological agenda.": https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-will-2022-bring-in-the-way-of-misinformation-on-social-media-3-experts-weigh-in/
And a quiz - "Your Friend Might Be Politically Brainwashed If... : https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/202010/your-friend-might-be-politically-brainwashed-if
The posters below don't think voting is a right. The Constitution has a lot to say about voting. There are three Amendments that start with the words, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote..." Sounds like voting is intended to be a right.
15th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
19th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
24th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Voting is a DUTY, not a basic right. As a duty it is entirely ridiculous create a system with potential for fraud to accommodate those simply too lazy or unwilling to be bothered by the inconvenience to fulfill their civic duty. Also, the argument against voter ID as racist is beyond comprehension. One must have valid License to drive, and ID to purchase alcohol, but not to vote? This is the generation of the entitled, the age of convenience, and the neglect of public and personal responsibilities.
Agree with you 100%, Publicus. I don't understand why people are so lazy that they can't drive to a polling place, show their ID, sign their name on the line and vote. There are absentee ballots for special circumstances so there are no excuses. If things don't change, we are on course to lose every freedom we have.
Your brain is supposed to be used for cognitive thinking, which is why it was created. As much as I appreciate that everyone is entitled to opinions (within the current rule book, which is whole nother discussion), you offer zero discussion, so I call that comment your brain simply passing gas. Unfortunately, there appears nothing remaining for you except idiocy and sadness.
Oregon's system is really fine. It's possible to actually enjoy voting, over coffee and some time to research issues and candidates--and then to rely on the vote being counted: one may check on-line with the Secretary of State's website to see that the ballot arrived; and the county clerk's office actually contacts voters if there is a problem, like forgetting to sign the envelope, or other issues, all while protecting the secrecy of the ballot itself. And, oh: providing a hard copy and a paper trail.
It's a great system for encouraging voting, increasing participation in democracy, and empowering people.
Voter fraud has been very well hidden for years by corrupt politicians but you wouldn't know because you never watch real news. When dead people have been voting by mail for years that seems a little like fraud. Watch some real news....
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(10) comments
We could all use some Sunday reading. Here's a good article that explains why people believe what they believe and when "...consensus presents a picture that threatens someone’s ideological worldview. In practice, it turns out that one’s political, religious or ethnic identity quite effectively predicts one’s willingness to accept expertise on any given politicized issue.": https://theconversation.com/humans-are-hardwired-to-dismiss-facts-that-dont-fit-their-worldview-127168
And another conversation of what social media has in store for us all. "Most misinformation is not the result of innocent misunderstanding. It’s the product of specific campaigns to advance a political or ideological agenda.": https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-will-2022-bring-in-the-way-of-misinformation-on-social-media-3-experts-weigh-in/
And a quiz - "Your Friend Might Be Politically Brainwashed If... : https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/202010/your-friend-might-be-politically-brainwashed-if
The posters below don't think voting is a right. The Constitution has a lot to say about voting. There are three Amendments that start with the words, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote..." Sounds like voting is intended to be a right.
15th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
19th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
24th Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Voting is a DUTY, not a basic right. As a duty it is entirely ridiculous create a system with potential for fraud to accommodate those simply too lazy or unwilling to be bothered by the inconvenience to fulfill their civic duty. Also, the argument against voter ID as racist is beyond comprehension. One must have valid License to drive, and ID to purchase alcohol, but not to vote? This is the generation of the entitled, the age of convenience, and the neglect of public and personal responsibilities.
May GOD have mercy on us all.
Agree with you 100%, Publicus. I don't understand why people are so lazy that they can't drive to a polling place, show their ID, sign their name on the line and vote. There are absentee ballots for special circumstances so there are no excuses. If things don't change, we are on course to lose every freedom we have.
Mail in voting is the best path to voter fraud ever created, which is why it was created.
Huge bbfan, you are so right!
Your brain is supposed to be used for cognitive thinking, which is why it was created. As much as I appreciate that everyone is entitled to opinions (within the current rule book, which is whole nother discussion), you offer zero discussion, so I call that comment your brain simply passing gas. Unfortunately, there appears nothing remaining for you except idiocy and sadness.
Robert Cormier: thanks!
Oregon's system is really fine. It's possible to actually enjoy voting, over coffee and some time to research issues and candidates--and then to rely on the vote being counted: one may check on-line with the Secretary of State's website to see that the ballot arrived; and the county clerk's office actually contacts voters if there is a problem, like forgetting to sign the envelope, or other issues, all while protecting the secrecy of the ballot itself. And, oh: providing a hard copy and a paper trail.
It's a great system for encouraging voting, increasing participation in democracy, and empowering people.
Who could be against all that?
Oh.
Well, sure.
[thumbup]
Voter fraud has been very well hidden for years by corrupt politicians but you wouldn't know because you never watch real news. When dead people have been voting by mail for years that seems a little like fraud. Watch some real news....
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.