Letter to the editor: Make your vote count — in person

President Trump is correct when he says mail-in ballots are open to fraud.

A recent report from the Crime Prevention Research Center says 78% of the countries in the OECD (generally representing the developed world) either do not allow mail-in ballots “for people living in the country” or require a photo ID to receive a ballot. The reason they are not allowed is fraud. The report’s author, John Lott, writes, “if concern about vote fraud with mail-in ballots is delusional, it is a delusion shared by most of the world.”

During a recent AARP “tele-town hall” event on voting options, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar spoke about how safe mail-in ballots are. However, she discussed a change that is being presented to our lawmakers to help speed the counting along, since now mail-in ballots cannot be opened until Election Day. They are suggesting that ballots can be opened as they are received. The staff would not look at actual votes but simply unfold and stack them. Immediately someone asked, how do we know that someone isn’t going to give information about the numbers or even change the vote? Boockvar said that will not happen, they will be safe. Her answer is the delusion that the Lott report is talking about.

During the spring election, I went to the polls and felt perfectly safe. In fact, it was safer than going to the store. Vote in person to be assured your vote counts.

Dorothy Shock

Springdale