Menu Close

Articles on Voting by mail

Displaying 1 - 20 of 28 articles

‘We did win this election,’ said then-President Donald Trump at the White House early on Nov. 4, 2020, on what was still election night. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump nearly derailed democracy once − here’s what to watch out for in reelection campaign

Donald Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election results. But the work of others, from lawmakers to judges to regular citizens, stopped him. There are cautionary lessons in that for the 2024 election.
Voters cast their ballots in Madison, Wisc., on Nov. 8, 2022, as numerous close races draw to a close. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

Midterms 2022: 4 experts on the effects of voter intimidation laws, widespread mail-in voting – and what makes a winner

Some election results will take days or longer to materialize – but on election night, a panel of scholars offer initial takeaways on mail-in voting, how to win an election and voter suppression.
A county clerk, far left, swears in a group of Nevada residents to conduct a hand count of ballots on Oct. 26, 2022. AP Photo/Gabe Stern

How to ensure election integrity and accuracy – 3 essential reads

Amid discussion of how best to conduct and tally a hotly contested election that is potentially subject to nefarious meddling, three experts explain the basics.
Most voters in the 2020 presidential election didn’t stand in line at their polling place, as these Nevada voters did. AP Photo/John Locher

Most voters skipped ‘in person on Election Day’ when offered a choice of how and when to vote

Nearly two-thirds of all votes cast in the 2020 presidential election were made through early in-person voting or by mail, rather than by people who visited their local polling places on Election Day.
Voting at home by mail can be very convenient – and safe from concerns about COVID-19. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

So you want to vote by mail – 5 essential reads

Voting by mail is safe from fraud and manipulation, is backed by people across the political spectrum and can be more convenient for many voters.
An election worker during mail-in ballot counting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Nov. 6, 2020. Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Making it easier to vote does not threaten election integrity

A record number of people voted in the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost, Joe Biden won. Now, GOP legislators across the country are trying to pass measures to limit voting.
Election officials counting ballots at the Allegheny County elections warehouse Friday in Pittsburgh. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

How votes are counted in Pennsylvania: Changing numbers are a sign of transparency, not fraud, during an ongoing process

As vote counts tick upward, people may have questions about why one candidate does better with mail-in votes or in-person ballots. Here are the answers, and an explanation of how the counting happens.
Make sure you know when your ballot is arriving, and whether it’s been accepted for counting back at your election office. erhui1979/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

How to track your mail-in ballot

In 44 states and the District of Columbia, voters can keep an eye on where their ballot is through systems that track when a ballot is requested by, sent to and returned by the voter.
A King County, Washington election worker verifies signatures accompanying ballots cast in the state’s August primary. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Timing, signatures and huge demand make mail-in voting difficult

It’s not just whether the US Postal Service can handle the load. In 2020 primaries, states have had trouble distributing, collecting and counting mailed-in ballots.
Election workers are part of the protections ensuring that mail-in ballots aren’t fraudulent. Will Cioci/Wisconsin Watch via AP

6 ways mail-in ballots are protected from fraud

The mail-in voting process has several built-in safeguards that make it hard for one person to vote fraudulently, and even more difficult to commit large-scale voter fraud.
Not everyone who votes at home gets to do so in complete privacy. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Voting by mail is convenient, but not always secret

Voting at home is safe from fraud and disease, but gives up a key advantage of in-person voting at official polling places: a secure, safe environment where everyone can cast their ballot secretly.

Top contributors

More