In response to nationwide fears that absentee voting and mail-in voting will be inaccurate and fraudulent, Montgomery County Auditor Stephanie Burke, Friday said “I will assure you that election security and verification will remain a priority as the country responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Burke said “There are some people that strive to raise doubts and make false and misleading claims about casting a ballot by mail. All Iowa counties work closely with the Iowa Secretary of State that works with Democrats, Republicans and all parties to ensure electoral integrity with a system of checks and balances. I am very confident in our election system.”

She went on to say “There are steps that make it difficult to engage in fraud. Anyone in Iowa wishing to vote absentee must submit an absentee request form to their county Auditor’s office in order for a ballot to be mailed to them. In making the request, voters must provide required information including their name, address and signature. After the receipt of the request, election officials verify that the voter is registered to vote at the address submitted, not a felon, hasn’t requested a ballot or returned a ballot in the county or any other county in Iowa. There is no evidence or history of rigged elections in Iowa, and our state has maintained the highest integrity when it comes to a fair election process.”

Burke said “Fact check after fact check has found voter fraud to by extremely rare. If there is evidence, local prosecutors can indict the relevant people. It is a criminal offense to forge a name on a mail ballot, impersonate someone else, steal ballots, or deceive someone about their mail ballot. Once you have voted absentee, you cannot vote in person.”

Burke added, “We are not sure what the situation will be when Election Day gets here, but there is one absolute. There will be a General Election on November 3, 2020. In effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, casting a ballot by mail is the safest method. The last thing we would want for any Iowan is to stay home because they think their vote doesn’t count or the fear of becoming infected on Election Day. With that in mind, we are encouraging voters to vote by mail.”

“Throughout it all,” she said, “election officials have been and will continue to be essential workers on the front line of protecting our democracy amidst the pandemic. Candidates, politicians, and campaigns should be focusing on issues and policies impacting Iowans and all citizens in the country, and leave the election process up to the County Auditors, Election Commissioners and the Secretary of State. If you have any questions or concerns with voter registration and the election process, please contact your County Auditor’s office to get accurate information.

“Voters should obtain their election information directly from election officials to ensure it is the most accurate and up to date information. Getting information straight from the source (election officials) is the safest approach to ensure your participation in the election process.”

You can find the absentee request form online at www.montgomerycountyiowa.com or https://sos.iowa.gov.  If you do not have printer capability or access to the internet, you may call the Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127 to have a request form mailed to you. The Iowa Secretary of State will also be sending absentee ballot request forms to every active registered voter in the state in the near future for the 2020 General Election.