OPINION:
The official Prince George’s County, Maryland, absentee ballots arrived at our house this week. On the “privacy flap” of the ballot’s return envelope is printed the following: “Your signature page will be SEPARATED FROM YOUR BALLOT before your ballot is counted. This makes sure no one can connect your name to how you voted.” Except that to separate the signature page from the ballot, the envelope has to be opened and the ballot physically removed, because the signature page cannot be detached from the closed envelope. This means someone will be holding your ballot, out of the envelope, in one hand, and the envelope with your identification information and signature in the other. Do officials really expect voters to believe that these someones will never look? Give me a break.
A second, inner envelope to house the ballot or even a tear-off signature page could have been devised, adding little or no extra expense or bulk. (Reducing the fonts on the non-English-reader pages could have reduced the number of pages and volume all by itself.)
Our ballots in Prince George’s County are not secure. A double-envelope system should be mandated by the great state of Maryland. Security is the primary responsibility of any government: security of the residents, security of property and security of the voting process and results.
JAMES KOUT
Bowie, Md.
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