Voting by mail is unwise. A recent Deseret News editorial (“Success of voting by mail in S.L. County,” Aug. 14) claims it’s a success but bases that claim on the wrong factors. Yes, voter turnout, convenience and cost should be considered, but protecting the integrity of the vote is more important.
If we get higher voter participation, but we’re less sure of who really filled out those ballots and under what conditions, that’s not a success. That’s like lowering a college’s graduation requirement from a C to a D and then triumphantly claiming, “Wow, look how many more people are graduating!”
In addition, voting by mail protects the incumbent, because it further limits the time for a challenger to mount an effective campaign. It also muddies the water regarding when the election is really over.
Absentee ballots are great for those who need them. But otherwise, it’s wiser to have us show up in person at the polls, show our photo ID and cast our ballot under the nearby watchful eye of election judges. Watering down our voting methods and requirements in order to get greater participation only puts our self-government at greater risk.
Gerald Larsen
Kearns