No.
Mail-in and absentee ballots are secure. States use multiple safeguards to verify that the person submitting the ballot is the eligible voter.
In Florida, for example, officials compare the signature on the ballot envelope with the voter’s signature on file. Other states require a witness signature, notarization, or a signed affidavit swearing the voter’s identity. These steps provide protections similar to in-person voting.
Marking the ballot of another person is illegal and considered a third degree felony in Florida.
Claims that voting by mail increases the risk of overall voting fraud has been consistently debunked. Studies have proven that increased demand for mail ballots has not been accompanied by a rise in voter fraud.
While the process differs by state, election officials have consistent checks in place to ensure the security of mail ballots and the integrity of election results.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Suncoast Searchlight partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.
Sources
- Brennan Center for Justice Mail Ballot Security Features: A Primer
- National Conference of State Legislatures How States Verify Voted Absentee/Mail Ballots
- Bipartisan Policy Center Mail Voting is Safe and Secure
- Florida Legislature State Statute 104.047
- Statistics and Public Policy Journal Does Voting by Mail Increase Fraud? Estimating the Change in Reported Voter Fraud When States Switch to Elections By Mail
