In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been talk about the increased need for voting by mail this year. Many argue this is to keep people safe, but it leaves state election officials to worry about the increased risk of voter fraud and how it brings about questions on how to safeguard their states. This is why Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has joined a group of national leaders in forming the National Task Force on Voting by Mail to help establish vote by mail standards that will protect the credibility and integrity of the electoral process.
The group will focus on protecting the opportunity for voters to cast a secret ballot, preventing fraud, intimidation, or manipulation when voting, and providing the ability for voters to cast their ballot in a way that does not compromise their safety, security, or well-being.
“As nationwide efforts are currently being made to change the way voters participate in the elections process, it is incumbent on election officials to set up protocols and safeguards to ensure that each and every eligible voter is able to participate in free and fair elections,” announced Merrill.
“Elections are the foundation of American democracy. I am honored to join my colleagues across the country as we move towards securing the individual state voting process nationwide,” Merrill added.
Other members of the Task Force include Public Interest Legal Foundation Board Members Cleta Mitchell of Foley & Lardner LLP, J. Christian Adams of the Election Law Center, Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation and a former member of the Federal Election Commission, Dr. John Eastman of Chapman University, David Norcross, the Chairman of the RNC’s Standing Committee on Rules, and Bill Davis of Foley & Lardner LLP, Pete Hutchison of Landmark Legal Foundation, former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth J. Blackwell, John Fund of the National Review, and many others.
