NYC Absentee Ballot Typo Unlikely to Be Voter Fraud
The Claim
People in NYC received ballots that could only be used by the military, constituting an attempt at voter fraud.
News posted on
Emerging story
For much of American history, voting by mail has been limited to the military, the elderly, and the disabled. Due to the pandemic, more people are voting by mail than ever. In Queens at the end of September 2020, several people received mail-in ballots labeled “military absentee ballot.” Many of them have raised concerns, including that it constitutes as voter fraud.
Misbar’s Analysis
In some places, the ballot for people in the military are the same as people using absentee ballots. NYC is one such place. Ordinarily, these ballots say “military/absentee.” That is, one can use them whether they’re in the military or if they’re an absentee. Due to a misprint or a typo, the ballots received by some voters says “military absentee.”
According to the NYC Board of Elections, these ballots are still valid regardless of if you’re in the military. However, if the envelope containing a ballot has the wrong return address, that ballot shouldn’t be used. On their Twitter page, the NYC Board of Elections suggests that people contact them. This can allow them to fix their mistakes. Right now, the voting system is facing an unprecedented shift in mail-in voting, so it is likely there will be some mistakes. If concerned, call your local board of elections.
