The World Turned Upside Down, an English ballad written in 1640 (still used—think Yankee Doodle) perfectly describes life as it is today. But instead of discussion another aspect of the current medical, economic and political issues, I’m going rogue.😈 Regardless of what happens in the coming months, we’re having an election on Tuesday, November 3. Voting is the most important thing we do as citizens. Particularly in such volatile times, we need to pay attention to a very wise elder-statesman—96-year-old former President Jimmy Carter.

Born in Plains, Georgia, in 1924, Carter graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1946. He was a submariner from 1946 to 1953 when he resigned his commission to take over his father’s peanut company. He opposed racial segregation and worked for reform as a Georgia State Senator (1963-1967) and as Governor of Georgia (1971-1975). A “dark horse,” Carter defeated President Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States (1977-1981). He received the Nobel Peace Price and went on to develop the Carter Center which, in addition to Habitat for Humanity, works for peace negotiations and monitoring elections.

Carter also co-chaired the 2005 Commission on Federal Election Reform along with former Secretary of Stated James Baker III. “Building Confidence in the U.S. Elections,” listed a number of appropriate measure, particularly constant up-dating of registration rolls and universal voter identification using the RealID for ALL voters. Both men believed “Absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter-fraud.” Each state has its own way of doing absentee ballots, but they are generally used by those in the military, the elderly, those who are ill, or who are in school or working outside of that state. The voter signs it and popped in the mail or turned in at the appropriate polling place. The Commission was quite concerned that “citizens who vote at home, at nursing homes, at the workplace, or in church are more susceptible to pressure, overt or subtle, or to intimidation. Vote buying schemes are far more difficult to detect when citizens vote by mail.”

Every heard the phrase “Ballot Harvesting?” Organizations in some states are allowed to collect bundles of absentee-ballots and take them to the post office or polling places. If they were on the up-and-up it might work. But there are too many times when rather than simply trying to help, there is an ulterior motive.🤨 Is one “helping” someone to fill out their ballot or forging it? “Loosing” ballots? “Finding” ballots? When a ballot has been part of a “harvest,” neither the real voter nor the election officials can know for sure that the ballot wasn’t compromised. It’s become an extremely serious problem, and one which has caused increasing tension in both parties. People have actually been convicted for intimidating absentee ballots in 2014 and 2017, and both parties believe there have been very “questionable” election outcomes in 2018 due in large part to ballot harvesting.

Add to ballot harvesting problems—Covid-19. It’s impossible to know how things will be in six months, but it won’t be surprising if many people are still concerned. Of course those who are elderly, ill or who have serious medical conditions should not go out. And there are probably many people who would prefer not to go out if they don’t have to. There are some states which are currently discussing the possibility of voting entirely by mail. Ok, fine. But that’s no excuse not to vote!! Just please, please, please mail your ballot yourself, or ask a reliable family member to mail it, not someone you’ve never met before who’s just “here to help.” 😳

*For more information, take a look at The Heritage Foundation, Election Integrity