Mail-in ballots popular, may be good compromise

Sworn government officials make contact with nearly every voter six days a week in Nebraska, so why not put them to work when it comes to making our democracy function?

Why not indeed, according to the latest information from the Nebraska Secretary of State.

McCook is getting in on the trend as well, opting for a mail-only special election when we decide whether or not to renew our local option sales tax.

Of the 16 special elections set so far this year in Nebraska, only five will be the traditional type where voters have to visit the polling places.

"You have to look closely to see the trend," Secretary of State John Gale said. "simply because there is no rhyme or reason to the number of special elections held in any given year. County election officials conduct them as necessary."

It proved to be "necessary" 26 times in 2008, 49 times in 2009, only 18 times in 2010 and back up to 52 times in 2011.

There were 17 special elections in 2012, 33 in 2013 and back to 10 last year.

"Taking into account that yo-yo effect, we noted that if you studied the trend of how people are voting in those special elections, based on odd or even years, the number of elections held at the polls is droping."

Special elections held at polls in even years numbered 19 in 2008, 9 in 2010, 9 in 2012 and 4 in 2014. The same trend holds true in odd numbered years: 27 in 2009, 26 in 2011 and 15 in 2013.

"To me, that indicates that when given the choice, more county election officials are moving away from elections held at the polls," Gale said. "By opting to hold elections by mail, they can avoid the challenges of finding appropriate ADA compliant polling places and the costs associated with training and staffing polling precincts.

All-mail ballots can be used only for non-candidate issues under current law, and recalls and vacancies must be conducted at the polls.

Gale, who would like to change that part of the law, noted that turnout was good in 2014 special elections -- 50 percent compared to 29 percent for the four special elections held at the polls.

Republicans in particular are under criticism for pushing voter ID bills, which Democrats say are unnecessary and, by the way, hurt turnout that often benefits their party.

Requiring an established mailing address is at least a small move toward fighting any possible voter fraud, while at the same time improving voter turnout through mail-in ballots seems like a good compromise.