Although I won't name the candidate or county involved, let me share what I know.
Three different people have told me that a candidate in a contested race was assisting voters in filling out their ballots, but failed to sign a certification of assistance. One of these persons tells me the candidate actually paid some voters $5 for their ballots. The candidate then mailed the completed ballots to the elections office.
This is ballot harvesting, is completely illegal, and next to impossible to prove.
But not completely impossible. If this candidate was completing the ballots for voters, a handwriting expert could probably find similarities in the handwriting on the ballots
Pennsylvania's Elections Code bans the practice of ballot harvesting. The only person who can return a completed ballot is the voter.There are exceptions for caregivers, who must sign the back of the ballot.
The elections office in Northampton County and Lehigh County have taken steps to ensure that no party boss or factotum can dump off numerous completed ballots.
But ballot harvesting can still occur. Candidates can have parties at which voters fill out their ballots, are paid, and the candidate then sends in the ballot. No one is any the wiser.
The only way this fraud is foiled is if one of the voters admits what happened, and that person would be admitting to a crime.
I love the no-excuse mail-in ballot option. It makes complete sense for older voters or those who are disabled. It makes sense during a pandemic. But the danger of ballot harvesting is very real, and may have already happened.
Radwan Jaroub, President of the Syrian American Ass'n in Allentown, believes the legislature should change the law to limit mail-in voting to the elderly and disabled. .
"...believes the legislature should change the law to limit mail-in voting to the elderly and disabled"
ReplyDeleteWhy just elderly and disabled? They can participate in this alleged practice too. I love mail-in voting, period - and I plan to continue doing it. If someone suspects fraud, then file a complaint and let the proper people investigate, rather than allegations like this where people can flap their gums all day long but not know of what they speak.
I am encouraged to read an acknowledgment that a move to massive mail voting access is ripe for new abuses. Doesn’t so much matter to me how pure the effort in my county is. I expect that high level of care in preventing cheating. There is no comparison of this mail-in voting push to our existing ability to make an Absentee Vote for legitimate reasons, like persons in the military overseas. But, this effort is much different.
ReplyDeleteAccording to my research, several states will accept mail and other turned-in ballots right through election night. This could lead to local election workers receiving much too many “hand-in” ballots than they are able to process correctly.
We both know, attempts to abuse this November Election will be the heaviest on record. Many of those will succeed. Even if just a couple large states tolerate chaos and confusion by looking the other way, the races for President and Congress can be stolen.
The conservative Hertiage Foundation did take a look at mail-in ballot fraud a total of 143 convictions for fraud over 30 years. So, yes, it’s possible and does happen (just a few years ago in a NC Congressional election with a Republican partisan), it is rare. If it happened here the people should be prosecuted. But pro make this out to be a large problem doesn’t align with the facts. Possible, not probable.
ReplyDeleteRandom visit to voter should be carried out. Check mail ins for. Unusual post office marks from out of venue.
ReplyDeleteEven worse, as has become a legal practice in California, ballots are collected after election day, sometimes for weeks. You can bet that they are going to want extensions due to tardy mail etc. There doesn't seem to be anything that is not being corrupted these days. Absentee ballots were always available. I can see that mail in ballots are going to lead to an intensifying abuse of the vote process. It just adds to the feeling that country is being destroyed in this all out political war.
ReplyDeleteWe are staring down the creep of Socialism/Marxism/Fascism/Communist tactics further into America. My goodness, watch a replay of the hearing in Congress yesterday. Absolutely disgusting behavior by many on the panel. Never saw anything like it. Those creeps read prepared scripts, refused to let the Attorney General express himself. Cut him off repeatedly.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievably, they insisted we are only watching peaceful protesting and, of course, pushed full scale mail-in voting. Hmmm. My belief is, they know we won't be able to monitor the integrity of the process.
Can you imagine trying to investigate all the suspected fraudulent cases? How about if Trump loses, Trump hold office until every investigation is complete? Sounds fair. Not sure it'll be done in 4 years from election day, but Dems aren't concerned with fraud. Should be a quick investigation.
ReplyDeleteRemember, even if results in two out of Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania are corrupted, it's probably over for Trump. I do realize this would please most readers of this blog. But, why anyone would be happy about cheating is stunning.
ReplyDeleteI live in a neighborhood with about 10 or 12 elderly couples, how about if I encourage them to send for a mail in ballot, they will be delighted for me to fill out their mail in ballots and then they can sign it and mail it in. 20 to 24 votes for ?
ReplyDeleteWe’ve been going to the voting polls since voting started in this country. Through wars, viruses and pandemics sleet, rain or snow we’ve been walking, driving or having someone pick us up to take us to vote. I watched elderly people getting out of their cars sitting in a wheelchair putting on a mask to go shopping. Don’t tell me there’s any excuse for a mail in vote. Absentee ballot yes, if you’re planning to fly to Florida in November and won’t be available to go to your polling place that is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteAll accusations and scenarios aside, if Trump can vote by mail, we should all be allowed to do it.
ReplyDeleteDoes trump vote by “mail” or “mail in absentee ballot“.
ReplyDeleteI take the comment from Chris Casey in jest. If not intended to be, we might see him requesting free flights on Air Force One or, at least, Secret Service Protection !
ReplyDeleteMr. Casey, I believe you know darn well what is being set-up here.
It is a matter of scale.
ReplyDeleteA small local election that hinges around say 30 votes then perhaps harvesting can be a problem.
On a State or National level it is impossible to keep something like that quiet.
Comrade trump needs an excuse in the event he loses.
During an pandemic it is even more important to reduce in person activities.
3:56 that’s ridiculous you know how many people I see standing in line outside of Home Depot waiting to get in, how many people are standing in line at the grocery stores to check out. How many so-called peaceful protesters are shoulder to shoulder front to back, give us a break wear a mask call a cab, drive your car, get some exercise walk to your voting poll.
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ReplyDeleteYou are going to wait two hours to get in Home Depot?
So you are willing to stand in line for two hours to vote?
Where do you get poll workers to take that full risk?
Arizona republicans made an art of closing voting places in Democratic leaning-high population area yet oddly their was no reduction in polling places that lean republican--gee wonder what their idea was?
Georgia did the same.
You are going to sign in with the same pen hundreds have used?
Push the same buttons everyone else have handled?
Not to mention the idiots who will be bound and determined to prove that wearing masks is just a tool of the oppressors.
So voting by mail is a good idea ask AG Barr or Comrade trump and his press secretary.
Good enough for them--good enough for me.
10:00 When you go to the store whether it be for groceries or gas and the people behind the cash register hands you your change, money that’s been in circulation and handled by people that were tested for coronavirus and who were infected, who picked there nose and then paid for groceries and gasoline. I rather pick up a pen with gloves and push a button with gloves on.
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