For many, 2020 marked a turning point. Not only because a new decade began, but also because 2020 marked an election year. Countries all around the world hold votes for their new leaders, with many prospective candidates going out on the road, shaking hands, and pushing their policies. But in the end, it all comes down to the vote. What happens, however, when the authenticity of these votes comes into question?
Certainly many countries have to answer this question, including our own. In the middle of a year where more people struggle to venture out to crowded places than ever, the Trump administration made the controversial decision to cut funding for the US Postal Service. While the administration marks it as a benign decision, others believe that the administration fear that they will lose the election, and that cutting the USPS' funding will censor the votes of the opposition. Coupled with remarks from President Trump himself that mail-in ballots will be "substantially fraudulent", the safety of our election becomes more and more of a question mark with each funding cut and allegation of fraud.
Halfway around the world, in a country where elections have already occurred, a similar problem emerged. In Belarus, election results came out showing a landslide win for the incumbent leader, Alexander Lukishenko. The problem: no one seems to have voted for him, at least not on their own accord. Reports have been rampant about the incumbent administration's tampering with the election, from the detaining of a popular opposing candidate, to threats at the voting booths themselves. These results appear to have been the last straw, resulting in at least half a million Belarusian citizens taking to the streets to fight for their democracy, as well as numerous foreign countries discounting the election results and the Belarusian government.
Many believe that in-person voting will be the only way to feel truly confident that votes get counted. However, if that doesn't feel safe, in-person early voting begins on October 15 and runs through October 31. It will more than likely be less crowded, and still has similar reliability. In the end, eligible voters must go out and vote any way they can, and, hopefully, no tampering of any kind occurs.
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