Why I’m taking my mail-in ballot to be ID-verified

Independent Newsmedia/Charlene Bisson

As Election Day Approaches

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OPINION — I will take my completed mail-in ballot to a voting center, have the sealed envelope ID-verified, drop the ballot in the drop box and await acknowledgements from the sign-up tracking system that my ballot has arrived at the processing center and has been counted.

The ID-verification step allows the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center crew to skip the signature verification and send my ballot directly to pre-tabulation processing.

I trust the U.S. Postal Service, but I've seen how understaffed my local branches are, and I want to avoid the new rule that has USPS postmarking my mail when it leaves the facility, not when it arrives at the facility.

The subtlety of this effort to jeopardize my ballot is sickening, yet consistent with the current administration's efforts to reduce the number of counted votes.

Maybe in a few cycles the opposition will once again try to win more votes the old-fashioned way: with better policies.

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