Will COVID-19 Make Presidential Election Results Unreliable?

Following almost every election, there are accusations of fraud. Regardless of the result, both sides believe the other cheated in one way or another.

But I can't ever remember more claims about potential fraud BEFORE an election than the one we've got coming up in November.

Of course, I'm referring to the 2020 presidential election featuring incumbent Donald Trump versus challenger Joe Biden.

Both Republicans and Democrats are claiming the other side is going to try to steal this election. What is driving this? It's the COVID-19 pandemic and the record-setting number of mail-in ballots expected to determine the winner.

Expect More Mail-In Votes Than Ever

Even before the coronavirus began ravaging the U.S., the trend of mailing in ballots was growing. In fact, it was approaching 30 percent of all ballots cast.

But with the pandemic spreading, more people are concerned about gathering in a public place to vote. Especially when some health officials predict a "second wave" of the virus this fall. So, many people are opting to vote by mail.

According to the Brookings Institute, this presidential election might include more mail-in ballots than those cast at polling places. If so, it would be the first time that's ever happened in the U.S.

During this year's presidential primaries, the percentage of mail-in ballots increased significantly as the COVID-19 spread worsened.

Trump Seeks Election Delay

Recently Trump suggested the election be delayed due to concerns about how mail-in ballots will be handled.

There is a precedent for this. Nearly 100 election events around the world have been delayed due to the pandemic. That includes 16 postponed primary elections in America.

Trump has been accused of recommending a delay because he is behind in most of the polls. And because he wants to hold onto power longer.

It's unlikely this election will be postponed. But the downturn in voter registration and in voter turnout during primaries is a concern to some.

Ever Since the Civil War

Many say there are no credibility issues when it comes to voting by mail. In the U.S., this has been going on since the Civil War.

That's when Union troops voted by absentee ballots. All 50 states currently allow mail-in voting.

A recent study revealed that of 14.6 million ballots cast, 372 were questionable. That's 0.0025 percent. The questionable ballots were said to favor neither party.

This past spring, Congress allocated $400 million in election security funding. But even strong proponents of mail-in voting believe that's not enough.

Suing the Golden State

Harmeet Dhillon is an elections lawyer based in San Francisco. She recently represented Republicans suing the state of California.

The suit claims the Democrat-run state should not send unrequested mail-in ballots to inactive voters. Because it opens the door to fraud.

In a USA Today editorial, Dhillon wrote this. "Election experts on the right and left acknowledge universal voting by mail poses a significant risk of disenfranchising voters. Through fraud, mistakes, delays and other problems.

"Democrats would flood the postal system with unused ballots. And open the door for bad actors to manipulate the election."

Will They Call It 'Election Month?'

One of the things that will make this presidential election unlike any that have come before is this.

We will probably not know on election night who the winner is. No matter how late we stay up watching results come in.

Because there will be more mail-in ballots cast than ever before, it will take much longer to count them.

Election Night? Probably not. More like "Election Week." And if the voting is closer than pollsters are now predicting, maybe even "Election Month."

USPS Will Be Busy

Another concern regarding mail-in ballots is the U.S. Postal Service's ability to handle all of them. Additional funding is being requested.

A number of states are trying to make it easier for people to vote by mail. Due to the pandemic.

In Georgia, there was a shortage of primary election poll workers due to coronavirus worries. That resulted in voting delays.

In both Pennsylvania and New York, primary votes were still being counted from one to six weeks after mail-in ballots were received.

Vote Early, Not Often

Many states are now encouraging people who plan to vote by mail to do it sooner rather than later.

Some states will not accept a mail-in ballot unless it is received prior to the election date. Others will accept those ballots as long as they are postmarked prior to the election.

Those who decide to vote in person at polling places may find it easier and faster due to more people voting by mail.

But if you live in an area where few are voting by mail, it might be slower than normal. Due to social distancing making longer lines.

What Do You Say?

Now it's your turn. I'd like to propose three questions to you. Leave your answers in the comments below.

As always, let's keep it civil and let's respect each other's opinions.

  1. Are you planning to vote in the November presidential election?
  2. Do you believe the final voting results will be fair and accurate?
  3. If President Trump gets voted out of office, how do you think things will change in America?

 

Comments

  • Daniel Elward - October 09, 2020

    1) Yes in person.
    2) I can only have faith in the system as being fair and accurate, otherwise what choice do I/we have.
    3)A Biden win just continues us on the path of Socialism and eventually communism. When the Government replaces God and family.

  • Linda Redmon - August 31, 2020

    Yes voting Trump n Pence 2020

  • Pam - August 31, 2020

    Yes – I plan to vote in person.
    There will be voter fraud – Democratic party is known to be very dishonest- Biden is just there puppet.
    Our America will never be the same – it will be communist in a matter of a year or two. Our right to bear arms & worship freely will all be gone. Our pensions, social security, savings, investments will all be taken by the government.
    Everyone needs to vote for Trump.

  • Annette White - August 31, 2020

    1. Yes and I have voted since I turned 18. Just in case, I’m doing early in-person voting as soon as it begins in Florida.

    2. YES. Caveat: If illegal efforts to suppress the Vote (such as withdrawing financial support and sabotaging the USPS is prevented in this time of a pandemic and the NEED of many of us to receive our mail in a timely manner – including 4-patriots items) is stopped and regular postal service is allowed to go forward.

    3. Things will continue to be hard with an unresolved pandemic, social unrest and a tanked economy. BUT it will be SOOOO reassuring to see our Republic norms be reinstated and respected!!!!! ….such as the political checks and balances of power in our Capitol as established by the Founding Fathers; adherence to the Hatchett Laws (campaigning at the White House for a partisan convention made me ill and I refused to watch with that backdrop); respect for our professional state department employees (who risk grave personal harm functioning abroad); and not politicizing our military (who take seriously their oath to defend the United States AND our Constitution and not an individual).

    You see, I’m old enough to remember when the Presidency stood for something other than lies and a overseas joke on the international stage. I remember President Kennedy & Regan standing up to Russia and not kissing Putin’s behind. I remember America was not denigrated to a Payton Place (Falwell University) or a reality TV show (Trump family tapes). I remember when Nepotism at the top of the presidential administration (Pres. John Kennedy & Atty. General Robert Kennedy) was balanced with “true ability and accomplishment” – not merely a Freebie of having your Dad as President.

    I know these are not the prevalent attitudes of those on 4Patriots – but my father served in the Korean War; my only son was inspired to apply, be accepted and attend the US Naval Academy & serve when his high school graduation coincided with 911; I am a 4th generation American who loves her country and the America I see now under President Trump is more out of synch with the values I was raised with than any America I could imagine – even under Biden/Harris – so I stand with Never Trumpers. In answer to Reagan’s iconic question : “I am a widow and NOT better off in this presidential administration than others of the past!” This is why a Peaceful Transition of the Presidency at the final results of this election is another historical, national norm for our country that worries me. And as a staunch Christian, with father-brother-uncle being Baptist ministers, I find myself praying constantly for us all…..both Republicans, Democrats & Independents. We are one country – one America. We must never forget that. Otherwise, anarchy and the dream of a UNITED States of America will die in our lifetimes. Thank you 4Patriots for helping me to wish/pray for the best but prepare for the worst.

  • Mary Stephens - August 28, 2020

    I’m voting for Trump for sure. God has raised him up as a modern day Cyrus. Check out the old testament story to find out what that’s about. I’m startled at all the pessimistic stuff I have read here. My attitude is that God is still on the throne And he has a plan for America that will yet unfold. Eventually there will be harder times before the return of Jesus Christ. However he promised that he would pour out his holy Spirit on all flesh first and that has yet to happen. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Of course, those who do not believe in Jesus Christ Seem to have quite the doom and gloom perspective. God allows hard times so we turn to him with our needs.

  • Guy Di Gennaro - August 28, 2020

    1. Yes, of course for President Trump
    2. Not with mail in ballots. If a person doesn’t want to stand in line, than do it the legal way and request an absentee ballot. But the communists /socialists ( who used to be known as the democrats ) are pushing hard for sending out mail in ballots to every address in their non updated voter lists. This party are a bunch of corrupt, underhanded lairs and cheats, that will do anything to stay in power and acquire more power. There is absolutely no doubt that the democrats already are setting up procedures to harvest hundreds of thousands if not millions of unclaimed ballots to be exclusively counted for for their candidates.
    3. If President Trump does not win and especially if we lose the House and senate, Our country is doomed to the destruction that socialism will bring. Can you say Venezuela, or USSR, or North Korea, or Nazi Germany. There’s and old saying that applies here " Those who refuse to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it".

  • Sara Schreiweis - August 28, 2020

    1) yes
    2) No
    3)It will go further down hill, if dem’s get in. The only hope for America is Jesus.

  • Brenda Anderson - August 28, 2020

    Yes, early and in person.

    No. If not from the opposing Democratic then from outside sources such as we had in the last election. Everyone is worried about mail-in ballots and not a mention of cyber attacks. All cyber attacks don’t have to come from other countries, they can also be from domestic sources.

    If Bidden should win he won’t serve his first full year in office. He will be dead or declared mentally incompetent to fulfill his job. Nancy Pelosi should not count on serving in Biden’s stead, because she too will be removed from the equation. Her “friends” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib aka the Squad and Kamala Harris will dispose of her the same as they will Biden.

    May God bless us and protect us from our domestic and foreign enemies.

  • Elva Miller - August 28, 2020

    1. Yes, in person for Trump
    2. Without a doubt, our Dem reps started months ago sending out ballot requests to dead ppl, Canadian citizens, multiples to 1 person… not to mention the R’s & D’s on the return envelopes, and the fact that USPS just endorsed Biden, They’re a gov. Institution shouldn’t have done that and this is who will guarantee the safety of our votes?
    3. Trump will not lose unless dems pull their fraud & get away with it. He’s had our back and we will have his cause if not the U.S. as we know it is gone. And only the msm say Biden is ahead in polls, it’s their narrative, seek & you will find the correct polls.

  • Lise Leonard - August 27, 2020

    1. Yes, for President Trump.
    2. Yes, there will be chaos. A man in L.A. County arrested this week for voting 3 times, for example.
    3. We’re leaving Illinois for sure. Not sure where we’ll retire. It could even be out-of-country. Did you know that there are many countries with more “Economic Freedom” than the USA? (Great information on this at heritage.org.) Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and many more.

  • Shawna W. - August 27, 2020

    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. Socialsim/Communism will be the way of our future

  • Ronald McCarter - August 27, 2020

    Yes Only if the votes follow to normal procedure of a) in an official assigned vote polling site or b) by the procedure of absentee ballots. Universally distributed ballots will not work and must be discarded. The few states that have tried sending unsolicited ballots have found that any level of success for avoiding fraud requires at least 4 to 5 years of trial runs and we don’t have time for that now. We must re-elect President Trump. The consequences of failing to do so will be catastrophic in so many different ways – many of which have been listed by others in their response to this survey. I am an 89 year old man that is still working (not that I have to at this point in my life), a veteran, have a graduate engineering degree, a creator of small businesses, a proud parent (6), grandfather (6) and great-grandfather (5) who is concerned about their future.
  • Tommy G Shead - August 26, 2020

    #1- YES
    #2- Probably not
    #3- Our great country will go down the toilet, and we will be ruled by china before the end of the first term!!!!!

  • Sandra Sagitto - August 26, 2020

    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. I’ll be very depressed and worried about my future.

  • cid holder - August 26, 2020

    I can’t believe how deluded the American people are in their Zombie minds. We already ARE a Communist country; we already are doing whatever the government orders us to do, as in wearing masks?? Vote?? Just take your Blue pill and continue on in your dream world. America wouldn’t be in the hellish mess it’s in if Trump had done what he said he would do. He lied and he’s lying now. 41 seconds into his acceptance speech 4 years ago he said," we owe Hillary Clinton a great deep debt of gratitude for her service to our country" and this is the one he was going try for treason?? The American people are blind and stupid and headed for the FEMA camps. That’s the Red pill.

  • Tony Mansfield - August 26, 2020

    Yes yes don’t know, doesn’t the electoral votes determine winner, not the peoples vote.

  • Duane Nierman - August 26, 2020

    1. Yes I will vote for Trump
    2. Yes there will be corruption
    3. If Biden wins I will contact 4patriots.com, because the democrats will destroy our country. There
    will be a civil war. if Trump wins i will contact 4patriots.com. because the democrats will riot like
    spoiled children and cause chaos.

  • Kathy Wenig - August 26, 2020

    1. Yes I will be voting for President Trump. IN PERSON! No mail in for me. I disapprove totally, except for absentee ballots, which must be applied for. I also think voter ID should be required at the time of voting. It only makes common sense. I have to show proof of who I am, even with something as simple as a doctors appointment and even to fly, one must have a real ID star on their drivers license. Something as important as electing the president should be a no brainer.
    2 & 3. I believe there is always some fraud, but I’m not sure if fraud will determine the election results. I pray God will continues to keep his hand upon the USA by allowing our president to again serve.

  • karen s quinn - August 26, 2020

    Yes
    No, not at all
    I think it will be the beginning of the end for America. I don’t think she will ever recover We can’t afford to fall further down the hole and we are now at the precipice ….. the moral, financial and physical corruption and degradation is so horrific, there’ll be no turning back. I know I sound very doom and gloom, and I don’t mean to, but I believe we are barely holding on by a thread as it is. They’ve led us to believe, on the surface, everything’s so great, but when you do a little digging you realize at the moral level alone, we have horrifically gone so far away from center in the wrong direction, that one area alone is enough to destroy us. The Wonderful Creator weeps for this corrupt country and world and will not stand by indefinitely and watch what’s happening to His precious children Sickening Despicable Woe be to those that have touched even one hair on their heads …. there will be great repercussions.

  • cary noyd - August 25, 2020

    Voting for TRUMP!! Too many reasons to list not to vote for Biden!! So many reasons to list to vote for Trump!!

  • Jo - August 25, 2020

    1. Yes, I will vote for Trump.
    2. Will it be fair, never.
    3. If Trump loses, which he won’t, I am leaving the country. I will NOT live in a socialist country that the USA will become. It will hurt but, I am a female, US Army veteran and cannot stomach watching my beloved country fall. I waken every proud to be a veteran, a US citizen and a seriously PROUD AMERICAN.

  • Barbara - August 25, 2020

    To answer the questions:
    1. Do I plan to vote in November? Absolutely.
    2. Do I believe voting results will be fair and accurate? Not hardly. They have not been for sometime.
    3. If Trump does not win, how will things change in America? America will become unrecognizable very quickly and I believe that the country will go into a civil war.

  • Juan Carlos Colon Agosto - August 25, 2020

    #1— YES
    #2— Not Really !!! With all this Tom-Foolery going on who can say yes ?
    #3— President Trump is who and what he may be but if Biden wins we’re in deep Manure!

  • Jeannie - August 25, 2020

    Yes, I am going to vote in November. I have honestly been thinking about an absentee ballot. And I think the USPS will do just fine. It’s the democrats that concern me about cheating, not President Trump. I feel Trump will win and things will get better for a while then I feel God will call his children home and those left behind will get save and meet us in heaven. It will be hard on them and I have a lot of your food plus food I have canned and some from off the grocery shelves. Mine is hidden. I keep very little in the house. Should Biden win he will be a puppet for Pelosi, Obama, and Harris. Harris will run the world and it will be communist all the way. I have faith in God and Trump will win and all will be good for a while. I wish all people would read the book of Revelations in the Bible.

  • Carol S - August 25, 2020

    For all of those who are for Mr Trump:
    Do you not hear or understand Mr Trump when he speaks? He has always sounded like a dictator. Every time he speaks always says something foolish. Mr Biden makes more sense. However, neither one will be able to fix this country’s problems – the problems are too great!

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