There’s a reason you were told never to tell anyone which candidate you voted for as a child: polarization and retribution. It’s also why polling doesn’t work in a politically divided environment because many people are risk-averse and they’re afraid of conflict. They often lie, avoid, or hang up on a poll taker out of fear. Many citizens wish to vote silently and let the chips fall where they may.
Our current environment has all of the telltale signs of voter coercion, manipulation via fear or guilt, and a basket full of other reasons why you should remain tight-lipped about who you’re voting for in the upcoming election. We need to remember this, and we need to consider it when it comes to mail-in voting. Privacy is a must in our elections. Our voting system is designed with this in mind. It should remain intact because the media and the internet are full of aggregation tools and voyeurism that wish to manipulate or even suppress your vote.
As for using the US Postal Service. I appreciate their hard work and effort in delivering mail, but I must ask the following questions:
- How many of you have had a piece of mail disappear?
- How many of you have looked behind a counter at a post office and seen mail on the floor? Mail stuffed behind a door?
- How many people trust the postal workers enough to hand them their vote on a piece of paper and deliver it if they know your political views are different from their own? Let’s face the facts; they see all your political junk mail and affiliations all year!
- You can deliver your vote to the Post Office yourself, but do you trust that it will land where it is supposed to when you consider the current political climate?
The political course of our country has always had challenges, and your vote is a privilege and a responsibility. Take it seriously, be silent, and respect everyone’s vote. But above all, respect the right to privacy.