Vermont will mail ballots to every voter in the state — whether they want them or not. The ballots can be returned by mail, drop box, or in person.

 

All voters in Vermont will receive a ballot in the mail, whether they request it or not, marking the first time the state has used a widespread mail-in voting system. Roughly 85% of Vermont voters typically vote in person, according to Hot Air.

Vermont joins other states that have either started or expanded their mail-in voting options because of COVID-19. Despite concerns about the potential for fraud, more voters than ever before are likely to vote using mailed ballots in the 2020 election.

The state will start sending out ballots on Sept. 21, and voters can either mail them back, drop them off at a town clerk's office, or drop them off at a polling place in person on Election Day.

"Voting by mail is simple, safe and secure," Secretary of State Jim Condos said in a written statement. "Our office has taken the proactive steps to mail a ballot to all active, registered voters so that we can preserve the voting rights of all eligible Vermonters during a pandemic, while protecting the public health by reducing high traffic in-person voting on Election Day."

Voters who choose to mail their ballots in are being told to make sure they mail them at least 10 days before the election to ensure they arrive in time to be counted.

There is a lawsuit challenging this new system, arguing that it is unconstitutional. From the Associated Press:

The lawsuit seeking to block the system argues that a ballot cast improperly — whether on purpose or otherwise — would violate the Constitutional rights of Vermonters by "diluting" their votes.

"We're focused on harm to the individual," David Warrington, the attorney representing the people challenging the system said during a Monday hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford. "That is a harm that is concrete. That is addressable by courts."

In a piece entitled "Confessions of a voter fraud: I was a master at fixing mail-in ballots," a person identified as a "top Democratic operative" explained how widespread mail-in voter fraud is and how easily he has participated in it for decades. He said methods range from bribing voters to working with partisan postal service employees to "helping" the elderly fill out ballots in nursing homes.

"An election that is swayed by 500 votes, 1,000 votes — it can make a difference," he told the Post. "It could be enough to flip states."