Amid this year’s general election, requests for mail-in ballots have been widely requested due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Those who are registered voters can apply for a mail-in ballot online with an issued driver’s license or photo ID from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Other options include applying for poll in person at a county election office or by downloading and printing an application to be mailed off.
Multiple experts claim this method of voting is safe and secure, though how do students at Bucks County Community College think?
20-year-old Betsy Watson voices her concerns about the mail-in ballots.
“I think more people should be concerned about the mail-in ballots because Donald Trump has threatened multiple times, convincing others that this approach is corrupt. I will be voting in person, social distancing of course,” said Watson. “My only trouble with these ballots is that in one way or another, they will be influenced. I am not sure if our president is right in saying that Biden will persuade voting individuals, though I believe Trump is going to sabotage him. However, I worry about whatever the outcome is, and I hope it ends well.”
During the presidential debate, President Trump argued how voting via mail is significantly dangerous because of potential cheating and can be fraudulent in certain cases.
Brooklyn Coughenour, 18, nursing and health care major, said, “I do not oppose the idea, but I feel like it does not bring the same feeling as going and voting, excluding the current circumstances we are in due to the virus. Often, there are lots of post office issues and that may interfere with how many votes are sent in. To be honest, I am unsure who I am voting for or if I am even voting at all. Yet, if I decide to do so, I do not mind the mail-in ballots. Still, I would very much prefer to go out and vote in public.”
Given the conditions regarding COVID, counting people’s votes will most likely take much longer because several states may allow additional time for ballots to arrive.
David Southworth, nursing major, said, “I mean, I believe the idea is alright, but nothing should be tampered with in the process of one voting. Also, it is possible that those who are not citizens of the United States can send in things to sway the election.”
Southworth is cautious about the mail-in ballot’s procedure, believing it may assist specific voters. “Personally, I do not know too much on how secure they will keep it, but I think it will really help conservative electors in the long run,” he said.