Integrity of Idaho's mail-in voting process, explained

There's a distinction between "vote by mail" and "vote by absentee," according to Idaho election officials.

TEN -- COVID-19ALREADY CHANGEDONE IDAHOELECTION... AND ITCOULD HAVE A BIGIMPACT ON ANOTHER.PRESIDENT TRUMPTODAY... FLOATINGTHE IDEA OFDELAYING THENOVEMBERELECTION...TWEETING THAT HEBELIEVES MAIL-INBALLOTS ARE TOOSUSCEPTIBLE TOFRAUD.THE PRESIDENTDOESN'T HAVE THEAUTHORITY TO MOVEAN ELECTION.ONLY CONGRESSCAN DO THAT.AND LAWMAKERSFROM BOTHPARTIES... QUICKLYSHOT DOWN THEIDEA.HERE IN IDAHO... THENOVEMBER THIRDELECTION IS SLATEDTO USE BOTH IN-PERSON ANDABSENTEE BALLOTS.OUR MADELINEWHITE SPOKE WITHLEADERS ABOUTELECTIONSECURITY...WHETHERCONCERNS OFFRAUD HAVE MERIT...AND WHAT'S BEINGDONE TO ENSUREVOTERS HAVEACCESS TO SAFE ANDSECURE VOTINGOPTIONS."ALL FOUR MEMBERSOF IDAHO'SCONGRESSIONALDELEGATION TELL USTHAT THEY BELIEVETHE ELECTION DATE -WILL NOT BE PUSHEDBACK.

BUT THISTRUMP TWEET DREWVARYING REACTIONSFROM THEM - MOSTNOTABLY A NOD OFAGREEMENT ON THEPOTENTIAL FORFRAUD FROM TWOOFTHEM.CONGRESSMAN RUSS FULCHERSAYING QUOTE "AUNIVERSAL MAIL-INVOTING SYSTEMWOULD GREATLYINCREASE CHANCESFOR FRAUD ANDINACCURACY IN OURELECTIONS.

THISISSUEUNDERSCORES WHYIT IS IMPORTANT TOMAINTAIN LOCALLYADMINISTEREDELECTIONS." ENDQUOTEANDCONGRESSMAN MIKESIMPSON.

SAYINGQUOTE "IUNDERSTANDCONCERNS ABOUTINCREASED VOTERFRAUD.

IN-PERSONVOTING IS ONE OFTHE CORNERSTONESIN OUR DEMOCRACY."END QUOTESO IASKED THEOFFICIALS WHO RUNTHE ELECTIONS INIDAHO, FOR THEIRTHOUGHTS - ANDTHEY SAID THERE'SAN IMPORTANTDISTINCTION TOMAKE."WHEN YOU'RETALKING ABOUTVOTE BY MAIL,THAT'S A 100PERCENT BY MAILPROCESS,EVERYBODY GETS ABALLOT."IDAHO DOESN'T HAVEVOTE BY MAILELECTIONS.

WEHAVE ABSENTEE-ONLY ELECTIONS LIKEWE DID IN MAY - BUTTHAT'S DIFFERENTTHAN VOTE BY MAIL.WHICH MCGRANEDESCRIBES AS THIS."WHETHER YOU ASKFOR IT OR NOT, THEBALLOT GOES OUTTO YOU THEREARE SOME FEARSTHAT IN THOSESITUATIONS PEOPLECAN TAKEADVANTANGE OFTHAT OPPORTUNITYKNOWING THAT THEBALLOTS ARE GOINGTO SHOW UP, ANDTRY TO INTERFEREWITH THE ELECTION.WHETHER THATACTUALLY HAPPENS,I'M NOT SOCONFIDENT."CHAD SAYS WHEN ITCOMES TO FRAUD,IDAHOANS HAVENOTHING TO WORRYABOUT IF THEY VOTEBY ABSENTEE BALLOTIN THIS NOVEMBERELECTION."IDAHO DOES NOTVOTE BY MAIL, WEVOTE BY ABSENTEE.AND IN IDAHO, WHENYOU VOTE BYABSENTEE, THEREARE SEVERALSECURITYPROCESSES ANDPROCEDURES INPLACE BOTH ON THEREQUEST ITSELF FORTHE BALLOT, AND ONTHE BALLOT WHENTHAT BALLOT'SRETURNED."ADA COUNTY'SCLERK - CONFIRMINGTHIS."WE DO HAVESAFEGUARDS INPLACE TO MAKESURE WE CANCONFIRM THATWHOEVER SENDS USTHEIR BALLOT,WE'RE VERIFYINGTHEIR SIGNATURES,OR WE'RE REACHINGOUT TO VOTERS IFWE SEE ANY ISSUESSO WE CAN PREVENTFRAUD."DESPITE THE MAYPRIMARY'S ELECTIONBEING ABSENTEE-ONLY.

IDAHO SAWRECORD TURNOUT."IDAHO SAW ITSHIGHEST TURNOUT INTERMS OF TOTALVOTERS EVER IN OURLAST PRIMARYWHERE WE DID IT ALLVIA THE MAIL.""INTERMS OFPERCENTAGE, 1980WAS THE LAST TIMEWE SAW SIMILARTURNOUT."AND ALTHOUGH IN-PERSON POLLINGPLACES WILL BEOPEN IN IDAHO THISNOVEMBER."WE AREADVOCATING FORPEOPLE, ESPECIALLYTHOSE WHO FEELTHEY MIGHT BEMORE AT RISK FORCOVID, TO UTILIZETHAT ABSENTEEOPTION."COMING UP NEXTWEEK ON IDAHONEWS 6 - WE'REGOING TO CONTINUETO DIVE INTO THEMUST-KNOW DETAILSON PUBLIC SAFETYAND ELECTIONINTEGRITY OFIDAHO'S NOVEMBERVOTE - WHICH AT THISPOINT - IS ONLYABOUT THREEMONTHS AWAY.

STAYTUNED.

MADELINEWHITE.

IDAHO NEWS6.