Nakedness is a problem.

Not at home, of course. Just when out in public.

So please, make sure your ballot is properly dressed when it leaves the house.

There is a lot of concern with how this year’s general election will go, and much of it is valid. We are in the middle of a pandemic and trying to minimize contact to quell spread of a disease that has killed more than 200,000 Americans, so being worried about packing 8.8 million Pennsylvania voters into polling places in 67 counties isn’t misplaced.

We know U.S. intelligence agencies have determined there were attempts to subvert the 2016 election. Trump-appointed FBI Director Christopher Wray testified this month to the House Homeland Security Committee about ongoing foreign influence campaigns. On Thursday, the FBI warned Americans again about election crimes of all kinds, including voter suppression.

And so it is not surprising that many states, including Pennsylvania, have taken steps in 2020 to ensure safe voting. The biggest is allowing mail-in ballots not just for people who are out of town (absentee voting) but to those who want to vote but would rather not or can’t go to the polls during the pandemic.

But voting by mail isn’t exactly the same as it is at the local precinct. Where poll workers are there to ensure every ballot is cast without incident, that can’t happen at your kitchen table. It’s up to everyone to be their own judge of elections, paying careful attention to the rules and making sure I’s are dotted and T’s crossed.

Oh, but the ballot isn’t the only thing you have to monitor when you vote by mail. There is also the envelope. Actually, that’s envelopes.

Sending in the document that delivers your constitutionally granted presidential selection isn’t like sending in your cable bill. It demands a little more protection, thus the secrecy envelope that provides a second layer of security.

The thing is, that second layer isn’t optional. It’s important voters realize that. Without both envelopes, a “naked” ballot could be discarded, and that precious vote discounted — a move allowed by a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling.

This has been pointed to as a victory for Republicans and a detriment to Democrats. That’s not about one party being more easily confused but a numbers game as more Democrats have requested mail-in ballots this year nationwide. That’s a switch as Republicans generally benefit from mail-in or absentee votes.

There is a lot about this election that is out of our individual control. We can’t keep Russians from trying to get involved or stop the parties from sparring or fight off the coronavirus pandemic.

The two things we can do are vote and follow the rules that make sure those votes are counted. (See the Trib’s “User’s Guide” to voting for reference.)

And the way to do that is make sure when the ballots leave the house — whether they are being mailed or dropped off — they are fully dressed in their double layer of envelopes. Because no one likes a naked ballot.

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