Jun 8, 2023 2 min read

Voting by mail should not be controversial

There seems to controversy, disagreement, misinformation and confrontation about every issue, and voting by mail is certainly no exception.

There are voters who maintain, without evidence, that this method of voting is corrupt and more susceptible to cheating than other methods of voting. I would suggest that if an individual is bound and determined to cheat, they will probably find a way to do so regardless of the method of voting. Applying to vote by mail requires submitting a significant amount of verifiable information that must be carefully reviewed and vetted before a voter can be sent a ballot.

The major advantage of voting by mail, aside from the convenience for voters who might have difficulty voting in person, is that it provides ample opportunity to better research and evaluate candidates and ballot issues before voting. Also, when voting by mail, you have a paper ballot that can be easily used in vote recounts or verification of vote totals.

There are five states that use vote-by-mail ballots exclusively on a statewide basis – Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah and Hawaii. I was told by an Oregon voter that every mail-in ballot is sent with a nonpartisan pamphlet summarizing the credentials and qualifications of all the candidates.

Elections are expensive. But it is an investment that must be made. In Washington County, we have 180 voting precincts. Ideally, each precinct should be staffed by five election officials. These individuals are truly dedicated and work for meager wages. But this represents a significant cost to taxpayers. As time goes on, recruiting individuals to perform this work is becoming increasingly difficult.

Voting by mail is a safe, effective, credible and economical method of voting

Charles Crouse

Washington