Nothing is ever fully "secure" - no process and no technology.  But, some things are safer/more secure than others.

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Security is the process of working on making systems and technologies as safe as possible. 

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• The first step in determining the security of any system or any technology - including voting - involves mapping the possible points of failure and ways that information (your vote) may not be successfully transmitted.  These points of failure are specific to you.  That means *you* are in the best position to identify the threats to your vote (when you have good information).  Your state's voting rules and your health vulnerability are two of those potential points of failure for your vote.

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• The second step involves limiting the risks introduced by those threats through planning. Below you will find some factors to consider in your planning to limit risk.

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In the November 2020 general election, there are a number of possible threats on the minds of voters:

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1. Risk of voter fraud 

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LOW: Experts say that the risk of voter fraud for both mail in and in person voting is generally less than .0025% - less than one quarter of one hundredth of one percent.

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To learn more about the history of various forms of voting in the United States, visit the U.S. Election Assistance Commission website.

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2. Exposure to COVID-19 and in-person voting

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REASONABLE:  Research has demonstrated that COVID-19 can travel as far as 16 feet in the air. Waiting in line and interacting with humans in a polling place may potentially expose a voter to COVID-19. The less time you spend around large groups of people, the less likely you are to be exposed to large amounts of the virus. 

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3. The U.S. Postal Service failing to deliver ballots in a timely manner. 

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REASONABLE: USPS has announced that as long as 15 days may be required to transport mailed ballots.

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4. Voting machine failures and irregularities.

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REASONABLE: Voting machines have sometimes failed to function as expected on election day. 

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5. Voter time commitment required to vote

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REASONABLE:  Particularly in jurisdictions with few polling places, waiting times at polling places can be substantial.

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6. Voter attention in figuring out how to vote and making sure their ballots are counted. 

 

REASONABLE:  Some Secretary of State websites are not very user friendly in their design, confusing voters. Also, some states do not have systems in place to track mail-in/absentee ballots. Voters have to be proactive to make sure their ballots are not challenged and are returned on time.

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