MAIL-IN ELECTIONS: Vermont Gov. Phil Scott wants to expand mail-in voting beyond use in the general election.
This week Gov. Phil Scott again called for mailing out ballots to every registered voter in the state for primary and municipal elections.
“I have continued to call on the Legislature to extend the automatic mailing of ballots to all Vermont elections — including municipal and primary elections,” the Republican governor stated in a press release Tuesday. “As I have said, we should all support increasing voter participation.”
Scott praised the fact that increasing mail-in ballots has apparently increased reported voter turnout.
“Currently, universal mail-in voting only applies to general elections, which already has the highest voter turnout,” he stated.
Scott added: “I look forward to reading the Office of the Secretary of State’s report this month, as required by Act 60 of 2021, on how we can implement universal vote by mail for all elections this biennium, thus increasing accessibility and participation in the democratic process for all Vermont elections.”
The governor on Wednesday signed a bill that formally extended Covid-19-era protocols for municipalities’ handling of elections.
H.42
H.42 allows municipalities to — if they choose — ban certain otherwise person-to-person meetings when it comes to public policy decisions. The bill language states that it “permits a public body to hold electronic meetings without designating a physical location and without requiring staff to be physically present at that location.”
In Section 2 of the bill, it is reiterated that the requirement for physical gatherings for public policy meetings is continued to be “temporarily” suspended.
“The public body shall not be required to designate a physical meeting location where the public may attend,” and then it continues, “the members and staff of the public body shall not be required to be physically present at a designated meeting location.”
The bill shouldn’t impact communities with a population of more than 5,000; 28 cities and towns meet that mark.
Not everyone is on board with electronic meetings
It’s being reported that other communities are electing to have in-person voting for their municipal matters. For instance, Brattleboro will do hybrid town meetings, meaning residents can be online or attend in person.
At least one board member thinks even allowing folks to attend online at all is a misstep.
“I mean, I would love to be convinced that a hybrid meeting could work efficiently and not be a crap show but I know what is involved,” Tim Wessel told the Brattleboro Reformer.
A report at StopAtNothing.com, a site that specializes in promoting productive business policy outcomes, notes that the recent trend to take public meetings online comes with the cost of technology not being able to fully replicate in-person human contact.
“An increasing amount of anecdotal and scientific evidence exposes the limitations of digital and virtual meetings in comparison to in-person, face-to-face interactions, meetings, and learning experiences,” it states.
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
Vermont Constitution: Article 8. [Elections to be free and pure; rights of voters therein]
That all elections ought to be free and without corruption, and that all voters, having a sufficient, evident, common interest with, and attachment to the community, have a right to elect officers, and be elected into office, agreeably to the regulations made in this constitution.
Until the State can get the “without corruption” down…it is a “selection” process and never to be a fair election again. It is a disgrace. We are a banana republic. Our kangaroo judiciary is complicit.
There’s a reason you see signs on every street corner in Burlington pushing non-citizen voting, just like this push for mail in ballots. The Left can’t win when they run on their terrible ideas. They can only win when they lie, cheat and steal elections. Their false belief that their causes are morally superior and therefore fall outside the realm of public scrutiny leads them to believe that “the ends justify the means.” Another word for this is Totalitarianism.
I went in to vote this past cycle, in person as it should be unless you request the ballot. The lib checking me in asked for no ID and also asked if I had sent a mail-in ballot. I got the sleepy town’s attention when I questioned the security of this process. If I said I hadn’t sent one in, which I hadn’t, I had to sign my name in a notebook! They couldn’t even read my signature. And someone was going to check after the fact? I think not. I could’ve mailed in my ballot, my two children’s ballots (live in another state now) and voted in person and no one would have known. Mail-in ballots are an absolute JOKE.
So….
Why is this suddenly the most pressing issue in Vermont?
Why is it even an issue in Vermont?
Are Vermonters clamoring about not being able to vote?
Here’s a question.
On who’s agenda is this the most pressing issue?
That answers more to the question than most would care know.
It also answers who is making the agenda for Vermont and our Governor.
If we stuck to Vermont issues, we’d perhaps do a better job in leading our state.
All the marxists are doing it.
10 out 9 marxists also support rank choice voting.
Bad idea.
Just say NO!
When the leaders of the government screw up really bad, you never hear I’m sorry. I admit that I was wrong and I’m going to correct my error. How refreshing would that be? No, they have to double down on stupid and against the evidence that mail in voting is prime for election fraud. There is no conceivable way to determine if fraud was or wasn’t committed. The governor knows that his support is coming from the left and he could not get elected by republicans only. I have always advocated for a Vermonter for Governor and we have one. He has changed my mind, we need a true republican conservative governor because this one is a huge disappointment to this born and raised Vermonter.
Anyone ever check out the Global Public Private Partnership diagram? You know, It’s the one that shows the policy makers and distributors at the top, then of course the State and National government next, to enforce the policies.
After that the propagandist’s; the good ole boy WCAX’s, NBC’s, Time’s Arguses, of the world to inform we the sheeple of where our lines in the sand are drawn today and to prepare us for tomorrow’s expectations.
And finally waaaay down there at the bottom are the policy subjects; the peons, the serfs, the we let one ant stand out of line, they all will types. This is how our world is run, what we’re fighting against.
You see Phil Scott is just “following his orders” and when he stops, or progresses to their next dream job, they’ll just replace him. Is this the system we all want?
Phil Scott is a real fiscal conservative except when it comes to wasting money it appears. Office of diversity, spending money sending ballots to people who don’t want them and are no longer residents; is this how he watches taxpayers’ money? He only fooled me once but little comfort since so many republicans have been repeatedly duped by him. Lesser of 2 evils? Evil is evil.
MAIL IN VOTING = FRAUD
France banned mail in voting in 1975 – due to fraud.
Mexico banned mail in voting in 1992 – due to fraud.
Belgium banned mail in voting in 2018 – due to fraud.
Sweden does not permit mail in voting.
Italy does not permit mail in voting.
Ukraine does not permit mail in voting.
Russia does not permit mail in voting.
Japan does not permit mail in voting.
No Middle Eastern country permits mail in voting.
No South American country permits mail in votiing.
Oh Please…..
Venezuala and Brazil love this……see we can follow the true leaders!
Unless and until each mail-in ballot is submitted with a verifiable signature, anything can happen. As it is today, town clerks don’t have signatures on file to cross-reference, even if they wanted to verify the signatures.
Fix the system Governor Scott. Then double down all you like.
Jay, please drop the signature verification idea! Town clerks and the boards of civil authority are not trained writer analysts. Many signatures, such as mine, are inconsistent. Consider using the Vermont drivers license or not drivers ID.
You make an excellent point. The only way to guaranty free and fair elections is the old-fashioned way. Apply for and submit an absentee ballot using the time-tested method for doing so. Or go to the polls on election day, identify yourself, and cast your ballot.
The purple finger should also be included…
Town Clerks are not allowed to ASK FOR ANY DOCUMENTS, BY LAW.
Town Clerks give you an affidavit to sign WHEN YOU REGISTER
The affidavit has yes and no questions, etc.
You are not required to show any documents.
Are you a citizen yes or no?
Are you over 18 yes or no?
The whole thing is a total farce.