Michael McSheehan

Many seniors and voters with disabilities vote via absentee ballot because they are unable to vote in person on election day. These same voters who may not have transportation or the ability to independently travel are most likely to be affected by needing to find a notary and make a color copy of an ID. Currently, absentee ballots must have a signed affidavit from the voter and anyone who assisted the voter in completing their ballot. Those are signed under penalty of perjury, and have serious consequences for falsifying. Absentee voting is a secure, reliable way for voters who cannot make it to the polls on election day to ensure their vote is counted and they are able to participate in our democratic process. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing around absentee ballots or any cases of individuals wrongfully submitting absentee ballots, and there are important fail-safes in our process to ensure this is a secure and reliable process. Adding a requirement for ballots to be notarized only serves as a burden on voters.