Mail-in ballots are often promoted as a convenient and accessible way to vote, but convenience should never come at the expense of security. When a ballot leaves the controlled environment of an election office, the chain of custody—the documented, verifiable transfer of each ballot from voter to counter—is effectively broken. Without that chain of custody, election integrity is compromised.
In most states, ballots are printed and mailed by third-party vendors using address lists provided by local election officials. Those officials never physically handle the ballots that bear their county’s name. Once the ballots enter the mail stream, they rely entirely on the U.S. Postal Service—a federal agency that has faced scrutiny for delivery delays and, in some cases, criminal misconduct. There have even been prosecutions of postal employees for ballot tampering and harvesting, including incidents close to home in Mesa County.
The national watchdog organization Judicial Watch has filed lawsuits against the Colorado Secretary of State and several other states, alleging failure to properly maintain voter rolls as required by federal law. Inflated or inaccurate voter lists open the door for ballots to be mailed to outdated addresses or to individuals who are no longer eligible to vote. Voting in person helps close that gap by verifying each voter’s identity at the polls before a ballot is issued.
Election integrity concerns are not limited to paperwork errors. In Ohio, federal immigration authorities recently detained a school district superintendent who is an illegal immigrant. Records show he had voted in Maryland, raising further questions about how easily non-citizens can gain access to the electoral system.
At polling places, multiple safeguards exist that mail-in systems cannot replicate. Voters must present valid identification before receiving a ballot. Election judges and bipartisan teams monitor every step—from ballot issuance to secure drop boxes to final tabulation—ensuring a documented chain of custody.
There are legitimate exceptions for absentee voting, such as members of the military stationed overseas. Eligible military and overseas voters represent a very small fraction of the overall electorate. For the rest of us, the surest way to ensure our vote is received, verified, and counted accurately is to vote in person.
When it comes to election integrity, no system is perfect—but the more hands a ballot passes through, the more opportunities exist for error or abuse. Protect your vote. Vote in person.
Jerry White
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