It is safe to vote by mail. Even President Trump does it | Letter to the editor

Mr. Mullen, in his June 10 letter, attempts to point out the danger of changing the system to more voting by mail. He is certainly entitled to his opinion, but I would like to make him and our president aware of a few facts.

Before the coronavirus ever appeared, this country had millions of people voting by mail for a long time. Thirty-three states currently allow vote-by-mail with no “excuse” or reason needing to be given, including five states that use mail-in ballots as the primary means of voting. I have voted by mail in Florida for years, as have many other Floridians, including our president.

Seventeen states allow vote-by-mail, or absentee ballot, if just cause is given. Reasons for obtaining an absentee ballot range from simply being over 65 in some states, to having to work, to being out of the county, being ill, and many more. It is not hard to obtain an absentee ballot in the states that require justification.

Point being, to Mr Mullen and to our president, who without basis or evidence, have suddenly decided voting by mail is rife with fraud. Mail-in ballots have been around awhile and have been part of the “system” for years. Millions of people (yes Republicans as well as Democrats) have used and will continue to use them. Studies and investigations , including our president’s own commission, have found at most only minute levels of mail-in voter fraud. I believe the president is trying to instill doubt in the system so that if he loses he can make, with no evidence, claims of voter fraud.

What he should be doing is what many Republican state leaders are doing throughout the country: Encouraging Republicans to mail in their ballots.

John Skey

Bradenton