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Voting is key

To the Journal editor:

Democracy is fragile, don’t let it slip away. Voting is fundamental.

It would be best if the winning candidate in this year’s presidential election wins by a substantial margin. High voter turnout is also of critical importance. A close vote could result in a contested election. We are experiencing a “perfect storm”. Everything seems to be going wrong at the same time. Under these conditions a contested election could be disastrous.

During this Covid19 pandemic, people, especially the elderly, have been encouraged to vote by mail, yet there are unsubstantiated claims that voting by mail inevitably leads to fraudulent results. Initial reporting of results on election night could show a “red wave” which could be followed by a larger “blue wave” when mail-in votes are counted. Prolonged legal battles could occur in several key states. The Supreme Court with a majority of justices including a newly appointed associate justice could be called upon to make the final decision about the outcome of this election.

The presidential candidate winning the majority of electoral votes could win, for the third time this century, with fewer popular votes than his opponent. And, if the opposition party wins in a close election an embittered lame-duck president will remain in office until the inauguration of the new president in January.

The United States has always been considered as a model for aspiring democracies. We have often been called upon to monitor elections in developing countries. Incredibly, some people now question whether the United States is still capable of conducting a free and fair election at home. Even more troubling, there is growing concern that demonstrations, counter demonstrations, civil disturbances and confrontations between armed groups could occur throughout the nation following a contested election.

If you plan to vote by mail, mail in your ballot as soon as possible, or deposit it an officially designated drop-off box, or vote in person on election day. If you are voting by mail make sure that you follow the instructions provided. Finally, after you have taken everything else into consideration, if you are still uncertain how to vote, consider voting for the candidate that you think will be able to win by the most convincing majority.

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