The midterm elections are now a month away after a wave of national confusion surrounding mail-in voting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In recent months, the Trump administration has attempted to intervene in the voting process in multiple ways by attempting to restrict mail-in ballots and requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. A Pitt professor and ACLU expert are still confident in the mail-in voting system, though advise voters to take more efforts to ensure their votes are counted.<\/p>\n
President Trump issued an executive order<\/a> in late March that would direct the U.S. Postal Services<\/a> to refuse to relay ballots submitted by individuals not included on a \u201cstate citizenship list\u201d created by the Department of Homeland Security ahead of federal elections, in an effort to \u201creduce the risk of fraud.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In early September, the Supreme Court struck down<\/a> Trump\u2019s executive order on the court\u2019s emergency docket<\/a>, upholding a federal judge\u2019s preliminary injunction<\/a> on the order.<\/p>\n Jacob Schiller, a teaching assistant professor of political science, believes the order has successfully created discomfort among voters despite the highest court blocking it.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the more harmful things that this regulation and other actions the executive branch have taken in the last few months has been to create uncertainty and confusion,\u201d Schiller said.<\/p>\n According to Schiller, Trump\u2019s executive order is not the first attempt to try restricting mail-in ballots, and likely won\u2019t be the last. He advises people to turn in their ballots in-person when possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere has been an active effort going on for quite a while now to try to undermine mail-in ballots, limit them, limit when they can be counted,\u201d Schiller said. \u201cIn person, when possible, or returning your ballot in person are reliable ways so that you are sure your ballot actually is delivered on time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n ACLU of Pennsylvania director of communications Cambriae Lee reaffirmed that rules regarding mail ballots have not changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMail voting is still a legal, safe, and accessible option for Pennsylvania voters as it has been in previous election cycles,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n Lee advises those voting by mail to vote as early as possible to avoid uncertainty, though to still have confidence in the mail-in voting system.<\/p>\n \u201cDouble-check that your mail ballot has been received once you submit it,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n Even though the Supreme Court upheld the lower court\u2019s injunction, Schiller believes the \u201cdoor was left open\u201d on whether the order\u2019s regulations would be permissible once a full hearing is held and the order is evaluated based on its merits.\u00a0<\/p>\n Schiller also pointed to another Trump administration effort called the SAVE act<\/a>, a bill that would require voters to show proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, which he believes would ultimately restrict people with citizenship from being able to vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTo require proof of citizenship or ID often proves burdensome. Not everyone has those forms that may be required. The elderly and young voters, voters of color [are] disproportionately impacted by this,\u201d Schiller said. \u201cThat will decrease turnout, that will prevent citizens who should be able to vote from casting their vote.\u201d<\/p>\n The bill has passed the House and has yet to pass the Senate. Schiller said there is little evidence of voter fraud by non-citizens.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we look at data, we see very little evidence that there is rampant voting by non-citizens. There are some cases of this happening, and they get prosecuted,\u201d Schiller said.<\/p>\n Schiller said people need to be cognizant as to whether the solutions targeting voter fraud solve more problems than they create.<\/p>\n \u201cThe truth is that it\u2019s rarely about election security. It\u2019s more often about suppression, and so we need to be mindful of what\u2019s going on, and weighing how much of a problem is being solved versus how much of a problem is being created,\u201d Schiller said.<\/p>\n Skyler Martin, a first-year philosophy major who is voting by mail in the upcoming midterm election, said she is not extremely concerned, but does have some fear for her vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not too scared,\u201d Martin said. \u201cI am scared for [mail-in ballots] only because there were allegations<\/a> of the last election being miscounted and votes not being counted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Nina Rivera, a sophomore neuroscience major who plans to vote in Pittsburgh, said she is not concerned about the security of her vote but understands the concern about mail-in ballots.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel okay because I\u2019m going in person, and I\u2019m physically casting my vote in person. But I do feel a little iffy about mail-in ballots,\u201d Rivera said.<\/p>\n Rivera believes mail-in ballots are important to have to increase voting accessibility.<\/p>\n