Vote-By-Mail Survey: NC Voters Nervous Ballots Won't Be Counted

NORTH CAROLINA — With a record number of Americans predicted to cast votes in the Nov. 3 election, mail-in ballots have become an increasingly popular option in the age of the coronavirus, particularly in North Carolina.

According to a recent survey of 133 Patch readers from around the state, most everyone intends to vote in the upcoming election, however the vast majority of respondents said they were nervous about their mail-in ballot being received in time to be properly counted.

Recent operational changes within the U.S. Postal Service have led to reports of widespread mail delays, elimination of overtime for postal workers, carriers being instructed to leave mail behind and the decommissioning of mail sorting machines. These changes have also increased anxiety for many, and our survey reflected that.

SEE ALSO: Work-A-Day Reporting Inspired Pressure To Save The Postal Service

While it is estimated that about 58 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the 2016 presidential election, among North Carolina Patch readers who responded to our poll, an overwhelming 97.7 percent plan to vote this time around.

Despite the continued community spread of coronavirus throughout North Carolina, a slight majority of readers — 54.1 percent — said they do not plan to vote by mail. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot in North Carolina is Oct. 27.

Of those who intend to vote early by mail, the majority said they were either very confident or somewhat confident that their vote would be tabulated by Election Night on Nov. 3. About 25 percent of respondents were not confident at all.

Despite expressing that confidence, anxiety remains. When asked, "Are you concerned your mail-in vote will not be received or properly counted?" more than 71 percent of the surveyed Patch readers in North Carolina answered yes.

Some of that anxiety seems to be coming from personal experience. With the reported operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service that began when Louis DeJoy took over as postmaster general in June, more than half of the readers who took our poll — 54.9 percent — said their mail delivery has slowed down in recent months.

Throughout his re-election campaign, President Donald Trump has stated he believes voting by mail will result in fraudulent activity. Overall, however, North Carolina readers disagree. More than half of readers — 53.4 percent — said that voting by mail does not encourage fraudulent activity.

Finally, we asked, "What are your overall thoughts on voting by mail?" We received a wide variety of replies. Here are some of the responses from readers:

• "If Trump does not support it he should not use it."
• "If you can drive to the doctor, grocery store, bank, restaurant, bar, Wal-Mart....you can drive to vote!"
• "It’s necessary for many but I will go in person to my polling place b/c I don’t trust the current administration."
• "Seems like it would be fine as long as people registered for their ballots."
• "It had been fine until trump called it fraudulent and put his large donor Dejoy in as postmaster General to slow the mail by taking mailboxes away and deconstructed mail sorter machines. I will vote by mail or stand in line if necessary to cast my vote!"
• "I believe there will be widespread fraud with mail-in ballots, so me and my family will vote in-person!"
• "I want a place to drop off my ballot instead of mailing it."
• "Trump may be cutting off his nose to spite his face as Republicans will also vote by mail."
• "I am a senior citizen, and feel this is the only safe way for me to vote during Covid19."
• "Very bad idea. Vote in person to know that it is done right."

Eric DeGrechie, Patch Staff, contributed