No threat of voter fraud in eastern Idaho and mail-in voting is secure, election clerks say
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IDAHO FALLS – As concerns about mail-in voting circulate nationwide, counties in eastern Idaho are assuring voters every ballot will be counted in this election.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a historic number of mail-in ballot requests. Bonneville County Elections Supervisor Brenda Prudent tells EastIdahoNews.com the increase of mail-in ballots has created a heightened awareness and concern about potential voter fraud. Bonneville County has a long history of mail-in voting, Prudent says, and is not vulnerable to any type of voter fraud.
“Our mail carriers are very well-versed in (delivering) ballots. They want their own ballots counted safely, so they’re handling others like they would their own,” Prudent says.
During the May primary, more than 47% of the state’s 907,342 eligible voters requested mail-in ballots, the highest voter turnout for a primary election in decades. Prudent says postal carriers in Bonneville County watched carefully as the large envelopes with the ballots came in so they could deliver all of them in a timely manner.
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Many voters in Jefferson County have already received their ballot in the mail and Election Administrator Shonna Allred says they’ve gotten a lot of calls from people asking why.
“Many people think we just mailed it to them, but they actually requested it,” Allred says. “In the primary, people had to request a ballot if they wanted one. When they sent it back to us, they could ask for a mail-in ballot (in the November election) … and a lot of people marked that on their application, (and) don’t remember.”
Idaho law requires residents to show a photo ID and proof of address before they can register to vote.
“When they register, we scan their card and when we enter their ballot it brings up their signature. We compare their signature to make sure it’s really them. Even if it’s been 20 years, there’s still a similar style,” Allred says.
If the signature does not look like it belongs to the person who sent it in, Allred says they always verify before it is tallied.
Those interested in receiving a mail-in ballot must register to vote by Oct. 9. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23.
RELATED | How to track your mail-in ballot
Each mail-in ballot is due back by Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. Each ballot gets a specific number, which allows you to track it at idahovotes.gov.
Ballots that come in early are immediately locked up until after the election is over on Nov. 3, Prudent says. The election office is under 24-hour video surveillance, which makes it easy to spot anyone who tries to tamper with them.
“We have cameras everywhere inside the building,” Prudent says. “We have to be careful not to pick our nose because we’re on camera.”
If you live in Bonneville County and are interested in a mail-in ballot, Prudent is reminding you to get it done early.
“Don’t wait until the last minute. That’s usually when we get disgruntled voters or we can’t fix anything,” she says.
If you’re still concerned about mail-in ballots, you can always drop it off in person at your local courthouse or put it in the dropbox. If you have not received a mail-in ballot, you can still vote in-person at your polling location on election day.