Letter to the editor: Reducing probability of vote tampering

The confidence your vote will be accurately counted is one of the issues surrounding the all-mail vote proposed by some, and can easily be explained using simple probability and statistics — in other words, common sense.

When voting in person, only one outside actor (election judge) is in a position to alter or void your vote. When ballots are sent via the U.S. mail, the number of actors in a position to alter or void your vote could be dozens, if not more. Statistically speaking, if 10 different individuals handle your ballot along the way to be counted, the probability that your vote would be compromised increases by a factor of 10 over the in-person vote.

While the incidence of vote tampering is believed to be small, it is not zero. I will vote in person to reduce the probability my vote will not be counted correctly.

Joe Turek

Elizabeth